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HOW TO RAISE THE BABY 











The Macfadden family group. Mr. and Mrs. Macfadden in the center. From left to 
right, Helen, Byrne and Byrnece at the top. Beulah, Beverly, Brewster, Berwyn and 

Braunda at the bottom. * 









How 

to Raise 

the 

BABY 


BY 


BERNARR MACFADDEN 


Author of “Macfadden’s Encyclopedia of Physical Cul¬ 
ture,” ‘‘Eating for Health and Strength,” ‘‘Strength¬ 
ening the Eyes,” ‘‘Hair Culture,” ‘‘Manhood and 
Marriage,” ‘‘Tooth Troubles, Foot Troubles” 

AND OTHER WORKS ON HEALTH AND SEX 


New York City 

MACFADDEN PUBLICATIONS, Inc. 

1926 


> ’ 


L. Q 








■ MSS* 


Copyright 1924 

By MACFADDEN PUBLICATIONS, Inc. 
New York City 

In the United States, Canada and Great Britain 


Transferred from 
Cgpyri*rb A Office 

0£C 6 99 


Printed 
in U. S. A. 


MAY 31 I9?3 


PREFACE 


R OUGHLY estimated, there are 1,500,500 babies 
born in the United States every year. More than 
750,000 of these infants are killed before they reach five 
years of age by the ignorant, hothouse methods adopted 
in caring for them. Do you doubt this startling 
assertion? 

Do you doubt that human life is regarded as such a 
trifling thing that it can be wasted in this manner with¬ 
out exciting the attention of legislators and public 
educators? If you do, there are ample means of proving 
to you the truth of the foregoing assertion. 

All over the world there is an alarming want of 
knowledge of even the most simple rules which should be 
observed in the rearing and training of babies. 

Our schools and colleges, almost without exception, 
ignore this most important of all subjects. In only a 
few of our most advanced colleges for women is the sub¬ 
ject of parenthood and its responsibilities ever men¬ 
tioned. And in fewer still is there any practical demon¬ 
stration of all that is involved in the actual care of a 
baby. 

That which should be a standardized science, checked 
up by the accumulated experience of half a million years, 
is, to a very large extent, a hit-or-miss enterprise, to be 
learned, if learned at all, by bitter, costly experience. 

Our government authorities have for many years past 
given a vast amount of attention to the raising of do¬ 
mestic animals. That department of the Bureau of Ag¬ 
riculture which has to do with the subject employs many 
high-priced experts and scores of assistants, and dis- 


Preface 


tributes annually tons of literature free to those who 
desire information on this unquestionably important 
topic. 

Yet little official notice is taken of the human animal, 
and but few authoritative recommendations for its care 
have been made. 

Such books and pamphlets on the subject as have been 
prepared under government supervision for general dis¬ 
tribution are known to comparatively few, although 
they are highly informative and thoroughly helpful. 
They are issued by the Superintendent of Documents, 
Washington, D. C., and are so well worth sending for 
that the complete list has been given at the conclusion 
of Chapter I. 

A considerable amount of work has also been done by 
State and municipal health departments, community 
leagues and similar organizations, in educating mothers 
in the proper care of children. Milk stations, district 
nurses, free medical advice, lectures to mothers and 
other agencies of this kind are bearing fruit. 

Within recent years in communities in which a fairly 
active educational campaign has been carried on, as in 
New York City, and other metropolitan districts of 
the United States, as well as in New Zealand, Australia, 
England and many of the advanced European coun¬ 
tries, a sharp reduction in the mortality rate of infants 
has been effected—reflecting itself in a gratifying in¬ 
crease in the total longevity, as evidenced in the mortu¬ 
ary tables prepared by the great life-insurance 
companies. 

All this is extremely encouraging. And yet the sur¬ 
face of constructive educational w T ork has scarcely been 
[vi] 



Preface 


scratched. A mountain of ignorance still remains to be 
moved. 

The birth of a child is an event which in the past we 
have been wont to clothe in more than its due amount of 
mystery, and, perhaps for this reason, our notions about 
the care the little being needs after it arrives have been 
mostly founded on superstition. Why not throw all 
such false guides aside, and use common sense for a 
while ? 

Good, wholesome outdoor air is beneficial to a grown 
person, but by some absurd process of reasoning, which 
no one can explain, is supposed to be injurious to babies. 
Every breath of air must be kept from them. 

They are presumed to be too delicate to breathe air 
not befouled with the poisons that emanate from their 
own little lungs and the lungs of others. 

Their poor little bodies are often so bound with 
clothing that they are almost smothered, and the pores 
of their skins cannot fulfill their important functions. 

Their stomachs are supposed to be capable of assim¬ 
ilating an almost continuous stream of nourishment. 
Every cry of dissatisfaction is supposed to indicate a 
desire for food, and they are fed so frequently that di¬ 
gestive troubles soon appear, or rolls upon rolls of fat 
encumber their little bodies, making them fall an easy 
prey to diseases of all kinds. 

Animals are gifted with an instinct which accurately 
dictates the best means of raising their young. The 
human mother, however, is not only lamentably lacking 
in such instinct, but is, in addition, handicapped by all 
the harmful customs and superstitions that are the 
legacies of the dark ages and that increase in power 

[ vii ] 



Preface 


for evil with the lapse of each succeeding generation. 

The young woman into whose life there enter the 
duties and responsibilities of motherhood finds herself, 
therefore, in a very difficult position. 

If she is eager for the truth, however, this book, it is 
hoped and believed, will furnish just such a guide as 
she needs. Its aim is to give common-sense instruction 
regarding the rearing of infants in language as simple 
as possible, and if she will read it with an unprejudiced 
mind and follow its teachings, her reward should be 
greater than if she had discovered the richest of gold 
mines. 

It is stated by the very greatest authorities that, 
barring accident, every child born with sufficient vital¬ 
ity to enable it to maintain life is capable of developing 
into a normal, healthy individual. Hence the rearing 
of a child is a task of the very greatest importance, and 
at the same time it is one which, given the proper 
knowledge, should be the greatest of joys and free from 
the worry and exhaustion that so often accompany it. 

Follow the laws of Nature as outlined and interpreted 
in this book in the care and training of these tiny atoms 
of humanity, and they will develop into such perfect 
specimens of manhood and womanhood as will delight 
the eye and be a source of endless satisfaction to your 
heart and soul. 

And better than this I could not wish for anyone. 



Clothing and furnishings in photographs illustrating this book 
by courtesy of Best and Company, New York. 

[viii] 



CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

Preface 


I. First Care of the New-Born Infant 

The cause of the first cry. When there is no cry. 
Baby’s first bath. Care of the baby’s eyes. Care 
of the navel. Baby’s first meal. Baby’s first sleep. 

II. Baby's First Need . 

The baby’s physical needs our first concern. All 
the pure air he can breathe. Let him breathe 
through the skin, too. 

III. Baby's Sleep . 

Have plenty of bedclothes. How to protect the 
mattress. The dainty baby blankets. Airing the 
bed. How much sleep should a baby have? What 
is the proper sleeping position? Do not rock the 
baby. When baby doesn’t sleep. Let baby alone. 

IV. Baby's Bath . 

Preparing for the bath. Boric-acid solution for 
eyes and mouth. How to proceed with the bath. 
How to get baby accustomed to cool baths. Avoid 
excessive use of powder. 

V. Baby's Nursery . 

Don’t put carpets in a nursery. How to regulate 
the amount of light. To get proper ventilation. 
Don’t let the air get too dry. Don’t make a 
museum of the nursery. 

VI. Baby's Wardrobe ..... 

How the band is made. The baby’s shirts. The 
extent of baby’s wardrobe. Baby’s basket. Baby’s 
footgear. 

VII. Care of Baby's Special Organs 

The care of the eyes. The care of the nose. 
Hygiene of baby’s mouth. Baby’s ears. Care of 
the nails. Care of baby’s scalp. Use of brush and 
comb. 

VIII. Internal Cleansing .... 

Character of baby’s stools. Give baby plenty of 
water to drink. What to do for constipation. 
Massage of the abdomen. 

[ix] 


PAGE 

V 

1 


13 


16 


31 


39 


46 


59 


70 


Contents 


CHAPTER 

IX. 

X. 

XL 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 


PAGE 

General, Hygiene of Babyhood . . 77 

Care of the genitals. Masturbatmn and its pre¬ 
vention. Urination in healthy children. Diapers 
and proper diapering. Waterproof diapers. The 
fontanelles. How to hold the baby. The fallacy 
of vaccination. Why babies cry. Protect your 
child from extremes of temperature. Pets a dan¬ 
ger to infants. 

The Crime of Soothing Syrups . . 96 


Nursing the Baby .... 100 

To prevent soreness of the nipples. Caked breast. 

How nature regulates baby’s milk supply. Com¬ 
parison of mother’s milk and cow’s milk. Diet of 
the nursing mother. When there is an insufficient 
supply of milk. How to hold the baby when nurs¬ 
ing. The amount of the feeding. How to wean a 
breast-fed baby. Fruit for bones and teeth. Whey 
as a food. What kiddies thrive on. 

Bottle Feeding ..... 116 

The feeding outfit. Preparation of the milk. Why 
dilution is frequently necessary. Suggested table 
of modification for bottle feeding of average infant. 
Nursing time table. Position during nursing. 
Length of nursing periods. Hygienic precautions. 
Pasteurized and sterilized milk. Home pasteuri¬ 
zation. Condensed milk. Corn syrup as an 
improved nutriment formula. Combine it with 
lactic-acid milk. Artificial foods for baby. Wean¬ 
ing the bottle baby. 

Weight, Growth and Development, 

Physical and Mental . . . 147 

The weight of the child a very important matter. 
Height. Things to remember about baby’s de¬ 
velopment. When does a child learn to talk? 
When do the teeth appear? When baby first sits 
up. 

Physical Culture in Infancy . . 157 

The best time for the morning airing. The health¬ 
giving- air and sun bath. The first exercise. What 
physical culture exercise consists of. 

Baby's First Steps .... 179 



Contents 


PART II. AFTER THE FIRST YEAR 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XVI. Common Sense in Selecting Foods . 183 

Children require food oftener than adults. Malnu¬ 
trition and its causes. Average rate of weight- 
increase in children. Variety in diet. Basically 
important foods. Plenty of fruit. A quart of milk 
a day. Bread and cereals. Meat, fish and eggs. 

Fatty foods. Vegetables and fruits. Simple 
sweets. Diet from weaning up to two years. Diet 
from two to six years. Diet for six years and over. 

XVII. Physical Care from the Second to the 

Eighth Year ..... 201 

Wonderful value of the air bath. Water baths 
insure clean, active skin. Friction baths. Cloth¬ 
ing. Shoes. Develop the child’s chest and lungs. 

Teeth in relation to health. What irregular teeth 
mean. How mouth breathing begins. The chief 
cause of pyorrhea. How to use dental floss. Care 
of the ear. The effect of posture upon health. 
Keeping bowels and bladder healthy. 


XVIII. Physical Culture Exercises after the 

First Year ..... 219 


XIX. The Psychology of the Child—What 

Mothers Should Know About It . 234 

The influence of environment. The love of beauty 
a human instinct. Schooling not so important as 
health. Teaching sex facts to children. 


PART III. DISORDERS AND DISEASES 
OF INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD 

XX. Habits ...... 245 

Thumb-sucking habit. Beware of the pacifier. 
Stammering, stuttering, lisping and other speech 
. defects. Dirt eating—its causes and how to cure 
it. Nose picking. Snoring. 

XXI. First Aid in Emergencies . . . 253 

The emergency cabinet. Bumps and bruises. 
Burns and scalds. Cuts and hemorrhage. Chafing. 
Cracks. Chapping and roughening of skin. For 
nosebleed. Dust in the eye. Splinters. Holding 
the breath and choking. Foreign bodies in the 
ear or nose. Fever. When the child swallows a 
pin. 

[xi] 



Contents 


CHAPTER 

XXII. 


XXIII. 

XXIV. 

XXV. 


PAGE 

Common Ills of Childhood . . . 264 

Should a sick child be confined to bed? The pulse- 
rate. Temperature as a guide to health. The 
aspects of disease. The color of the skin. What 
gestures tell us. What the face tells us. Com¬ 
mon diseases—their cause and correction: Adeni¬ 
tis, Adenoids, Anemia, Bed-wetting, Boils, Bronchi¬ 
tis, Chilblains, Chills, Colds, Colic, Convulsions, 
Croup, Dandruff, Diarrhea and Its Meaning, 
Diphtheria, Ear Diseases, Table of Eruptive 
Fevers, Erysipelas, German Measles (Rubella), 
Growing Pains, Gum-Boil, Headache. Heart Weak¬ 
ness, Hernia (Rupture), Hiccoughs, Hip-Joint 
Disease, Hives (Urticaria-Nettle Rash), Intestinal 
Obstruction, Jaundice, Leucorrhea, Marasmus, 
Measles, Mumps, Parasites, Pimples (Acne), Pink- 
Eye (Acute Contagious Conjunctivitis), Pneu¬ 
monia, Prickly Heat, Rheumatism, Rickets (Rachi¬ 
tis), Ringworm, Scarlet Fever, Scurvy (Acute 
Rickets; Barlow’s Disease), Smallpox (Variola), 

Sore Throat, Spinal Tuberculosis, Spinal Curva¬ 
ture, Stye, Sunburn, Teething Symptoms, Thrush, 
Tonsillitis, Chronic Enlargement of the Tonsils, 
Whooping-Cough, Worms. 

Disfigurements and Deficiency Disorders 331 

Deformities of the Feet: Clubfoot, Knock-Knee. 
Bow-Legs, Cross-Eyes (Squint), Hare-Lip and 
Cleft-Palate, Protruding Ears, Birthmarks and 
Warts, Stooped or Round Shoulders. 

Nervous Weakness and Nervous Disease 339 

Chorea (St. Vitus’ Dance), Epilepsy, Insomnia, 
Night-Terrors. 

The Mistakes of Mothers Corrected . 345 


[xii] 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

SUBJECT PAGE 

The Author’s Family. Frontispiece 

Mother and Babe. 7 

The Bassinet. 19 

Crib, A Modern Type of. 20 

Correct Placing of Crib in Room. 22 

Sleeping Positions .24, 25 

Kiddie Koop . 27 

Bath Thermometer . 32 

Bathinet, A Modern. 33 

Correct Positions for Holding Baby During Bathing 34, 35 
Baby’s Nursery, Proper Arrangement of Furnishings in 41 

Ventilation, Method of, to Avoid Drafts. 43 

Drying Air, Method of Counteracting. 44 

Baby’s Shirt . 47 

Waterproof Diaper. 48 

Baby’s Dress . 49 

Baby’s Coat . 50 

Baby’s Bonnet . 52 

Dressing Baby, Wrong Way of.54, 56 

Dressing Baby, Right Way of.55, 57 

Conical Cleanser for Ear, Nose or Eye. 65 

Comfort Chair. 72 

Rectal Suppository. 74 

Rectal Syringe . 75 

Square Diaper .80, 81 

Fontanelles, Anterior and Posterior. 83 

Holding Baby, Incorrect Way of. 86 

Holding Baby, Correct Way of. 87 

|>iii] 




























List of Illustrations 


SUBJECT PAGE 

Baby’s Carriage or Perambulator. 89 

Go-Cart . 90 

Baby Bunting, A Cold Weather Garment. 93 

Breast Pump. 103 

Nipple Shield . 106 

Preparing Orange Juice for Baby. Ill 

Straining Cereal for Feeding. 113 

Bottle Feeding, Preparation of.118, 119 

Testing Temperature of Baby’s Milk. 121 

Feeding Bottles and Nipples, Types of. 123 

Nipple Improperly Adjusted . 126 

Nipple Properly Adjusted.. . . .. 127 

Position for Baby During Feeding.128, 129 

Diagram of Bottle Feeding, One Month to Ten Months 130 

Position After Feeding to Prevent Colic. 131 

Chapin Dipper . 132 

Home Pasteurization.134, 135 

Flow of Milk, Incorrect and Correct.136, 137 

Cleaning Feeding Bottles and Nipples.140, 142, 143 

Weighing Scale, Type of. 148 

Baby Pen . 150 

Temporary or Milk Teeth, Diagram of. 151 

Permanent Teeth, Diagram of. 153 

Exercises for Baby, 159, 162, 163, 165, 167, 169, 171, 

172, 173, 174, 175, 176 

Air Bath for Children. 203 

Correct Shoe Outline. 206 

Physical Development of Children. « .208, 210 

Play Exercises for Children, 221, 223, 224, 226, 227, 

228, 230 

Temperature of Baby Taken by Rectum. 268 

[ x ' v ] 





























List of Illustrations 


SUBJECT PAGE 

Clinical Thermometer . 269 

Temperature of Baby Taken at Armpit. 270 

Restoring Warmth in Illness. 284* 

Spinal Pack . 285 

Hot Water Bottle With Spinal or Abdominal Pack. . . 287 

Inducing Vomiting . 288 

Abdominal Pack . 312 

Preparing a Hot Pack. 314 

Mother and Babe. 347 


[xv] 






































































































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f 




































PART I 

From Birth Through the 
First Year 












HOW TO RAISE THE BABY 


CHAPTER I 

First Care of the New-Born Infant 

But yesterday and thee the earth 
Inscribed not on her mighty scroll. 

Today she opens the gates of birth, 

And gives the spheres another soul. 

— Taylor. 

T HE care of an infant should be begun with, or even 
prior to, its conception by the mother. The 
mother’s blood nourishes the tissues that are being 
formed; therefore, upon her health depends largely the 
development of the child, and the manner in which both 
mother and child pass through the ordeal of birth; but 
this part of the subject has already been dealt with in 
my book on Motherhood. This book has to do with the 
care of the child after its career in the outside world has 
begun. 

This career may be said to have been fairly started 
when the child’s first involuntary cry is heard. This is 
not a cry of pain altogether, as it is generally miscon¬ 
ceived to be, but rather an indication of vigor, and 
therefore may be taken as a signal of safety. 

THE CAUSE OF THE FIRST CRY 

The wee stranger, during the months of his journey 
hitherward, has been breathing through the placenta, 
the medium supplied for this purpose by Mother Na¬ 
ture within the wonderful workshop in which his tiny 

[ 1 ] 


2—Jan. 24 



How to Raise the Baby 


form has been molded. But now he finds himself in a 
world where he must breathe for himself, and his first 
cry is a note of triumph announcing to all within hear¬ 
ing that, taught by the instinct for self-preservation, he 
has succeeded in bringing into use his own independent 
air-supplying apparatus. 

Then, too, there is the effect of the air—usually cold 
in comparison with the warmth of his nine-months’ dom¬ 
icile—coming into contact with the delicate nerves of 
the skin. Could any human being, old or young, be 
expected to endure such an experience in silence? 

And also it is believed that some direct irritation of 
the spinal cord, resulting from the fact that the baby’s 
blood for the first time is receiving its oxygen through 
the lungs, instead of through the placenta of the 
mother, may have an influence in producing the cry. 

WHEN THERE IS NO CRY 

But sometimes this shrill piping cry is not heard. The 
little stranger is born apparently lifeless. 

This is especially likely to be the case if the second 
stage of labor has been unduly prolonged, so that the 
baby’s head has been subjected to pressure for many 
hours. 

Or it may occur in those cases in which the circulation 
of blood through the umbilical cord has in some way 
been cut off, causing a lack of oxygen in the blood of the 
child. The circulation may have been stopped, for in¬ 
stance, by a contraction of the uterus such as takes 
place when ergot (a preparation for hastening or 
increasing uterine contractions) is given injudiciously 
to the mother during labor. 

[ 2 ] 



First Care or the New-Born Infant 


For any of these reasons the baby may be born as¬ 
phyxiated, its face often livid and terribly swollen. It 
may perhaps make one or two feeble attempts to 
breathe, but is not equal to the greater effort of crying. 

Sometimes, instead of being livid, the face is pale, 
while the limbs are flaccid and the heart-beat almost in¬ 
audible. This is a very serious condition—much more 
so than if the face were suffused with blood. 

No time should be lost in attempting to excite respi¬ 
ration in a baby born apparently lifeless, for, in a very 
large percentage of cases, prompt action will meet with 
success. 

In case baby is born before physician or midwife has 
arrived the attendant should follow these procedures: 

First, the cord should be cut, as soon as it has ceased 
to pulsate, with a pair of sterile scissors. If the child s 
face is dark and filled with blood, the cord should then 
be allowed to bleed a few drops before it is tied, to re¬ 
lieve the choked-up circulation; in the opposite condi¬ 
tion of paleness, especially if the infant appears to be 
weak and frail, no loss of blood should be permitted. 

Then the child is smartly slapped on the chest and 
back, or the body rubbed rapidly with a little brandy, 
alcohol, or cool water, poured in the palm of the hand. 
This will excite sufficient irritation of the skin to cause 
the gasp for breath that will at once establish the func¬ 
tion of breathing. 

If this is not instantly successful, the attendant 
should immediately prepare two basins, one filled with 
water as hot as can be borne without burning, the other 
with very cold water. The baby should then be taken 
by the shoulders and dipped for a second into the 

[ 3 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 


hot water, and then at once into the cold. This should 
be repeated two or three times, unless the wished-for cry 
is heard after the first plunge, which is very likely to 
happen. This method is very effective and has saved the 
lives of countless babies. 

Sometimes swinging the child by the feet has a good 
effect. And occasionally it may even be necessary to re¬ 
sort to artificial respiration. This is done by placing 
the child on its back, with its legs held stretched out. 
The elbows are then grasped, raised above the head, and 
slowly lowered and pressed against the sides of the chest, 
with only sufficient force to squeeze it in—producing the 
effect of inspiration and expiration. 

If immediate results are not procured, this pro¬ 
cedure should be persisted in for as long as thirty min¬ 
utes—when the attendant might be rewarded with the 
welcome cry. Then, as the next step, the infant is 
bathed. 

baby’s first bath 

If the baby cries lustily from the first, the nurse or 
attendant may bathe it just as soon as she can be spared 
from attendance on the mother. 

The baby should first be carefully anointed with 
pure olive oil, to facilitate the removal of the vernix 
caseosa —the unctuous material with which the body is 
covered. This is followed by a warm bath, the water 
being from ninety-five to one hundred degrees Fahren¬ 
heit. The best castile soap should be used, the baby 
being carefully soaped and sponged from head to foot. 
Then he should be dried with a soft old towel, using ex¬ 
treme gentleness always. 


[4] 



First Care of the New-Born Infant 


Just here I might urge the value of saving all the old 
linens—the older the better—before baby’s advent; for 
the infinitely delicate skin of the new-born infant noth¬ 
ing can be quite so comforting. 

This first bath should not take any longer than neces¬ 
sary, for the small stranger is easily fatigued, and at 
this early period there is never any vitality to waste. 

A soft old blanket makes the very best of bathing 
aprons, as it provides a comfortable padding for the 
repose of the little body and also aids in the conserva¬ 
tion of its natural heat. 

BE CAREFUL OF DRAFTS 

A warm room for this first bath is, of course, a neces¬ 
sity, and the baby should be well protected from undue 
currents of air during its progress. Later in its life the 
child will be strengthened by an abundance of fresh air, 
but at this tender age considerable care must be taken 
to avoid chilling it. 

Many nurses prefer to lay the baby on his back on 
the lap, and wash him piecemeal, that is, one member 
at a time, never exposing any more surface than is ab¬ 
solutely necessary. Still others prefer a liberal bowl of 
warm water, where the youngster can be thoroughly 
cleansed. The choice of methods must depend some¬ 
what on the ruggedness of the child. Always bear in 
mind, however, the warm quarters from which baby has 
so recently come. 

Soft old linen is preferable to a sponge for bathing, 
unless scrupulous care is taken of the sponge, which 
should be boiled and hung out in the air immediately 

m 



How to Raise the Baby 


after use. Renew sponges often, as old ones are a most 
prolific source of disease contamination. 

After the baby is carefully dried, he should again be 
anointed with cold cream or olive oil, to soften up any 
small sections of the vernix caseosa which may still ad¬ 
here to the skin or scalp. 

Be very careful not to use any undue force in remov¬ 
ing this material, as you may injure the delicate skin in 
such a way as to produce an obstinate sore. If the 
scales of vernix caseosa are not removed with the second 
or third bath, they will soon dry up and drop off of 
their own accord. 

Many eminent baby specialists advise the postpone¬ 
ment of the first bath for twenty-four hours, or even 
longer, until the child is somewhat stronger and more 
accustomed to his new environment. 

They merely smear olive oil liberally over the body, 
wipe this gently off—or else leave a considerable amount 
as a protection to the skin, and to assist in dissolving 
and removing the vernix caseosa. 

Others wrap the child in cheesecloth dripping with 
hot milk, and then wrap the precious bundle in a warm 
blanket. 

It must be said in favor of this last method, that 
warm milk is very bland and soothing to the skin, and 
also has a pronounced solvent effect on the smegma 
(the vernix caseosa). Its use in the manner described 
might often prevent a chronic eczema, or other skin 
eruption, having its origin in the irritation arising from 
the use of soap. There is, of course, more danger of 
an injurious irritation if the soap used contains an ex¬ 
cess of potash or other alkaline substance. 

[6] 




Mother and Babe. 

[ 7 ] 







How to Raise the Baby 


CARE OF THE BABY’S EYES 

The eyes and mouth of the new-born baby call for 
the most exquisite care, the former especially, as they 
are so marvelously delicate. 

It is almost a routine practice nowadays, with doc¬ 
tors and midwives, to instil a drop or two of a one or 
two per cent solution of nitrate of silver into each 
eye, at the earliest moment after birth, to insure the de¬ 
struction of any germs which may have been lying latent 
in the birth canal and from there been transferred to 
the eyes, possibly to cause blindness later on. 

It is always better to err on the safe side and take 
every possible precaution against infection. If any pus 
appears, the eyes should be carefully wiped every 
hour with a solution of ten grains of boric acid to an 
ounce of water. 

Should the lids have a tendency to stick together a 
little vaseline may be rubbed into them each night. This 
will usually clear up the condition. 

Also, for the cleansing of the eyes, a solution of boric 
acid and small pieces of old linen should always be kept 
on hand. The linen should be boiled, baked in an oven, 
or steamed, before using. The usual antiseptic solu¬ 
tion is boric acid, in the form of powder, in the pro¬ 
portion of one teaspoonful to a pint of boiling water. 
It should be kept well corked, so that it will be free from 
dust and other possible contamination. 

Pour out only what is needed each time, after care¬ 
fully cleansing the mouth of the bottle. The old linen 
squares should be used lavishly, never letting the same 
piece serve for the washing of both eyes, but using a 
separate one for each, and another for the mouth. 

[8] 



First Care of the New-Born Infant 


CARE OF THE NAVEL 

After the baby has been bathed and due attention 
given to eyes and mouth, the navel may be dressed with 
a tiny compress of old linen liberally oiled to prevent its 
adhering. Or a small square of linen with boric acid or 
stearate of zinc may be used. Many specialists prefer 
this to the oil and consider the stearate of zinc superior 
to boric acid, because its antiseptic properties are 
greater. 

The cord is usually wrapped rather tightly in this 
dressing by cutting a small hole in the cloth, passing 
the cord through the hole and laying it on top of at 
least one layer of cloth—so as not to have it in contact 
with the body. The dressing is renewed each day until 
the stump has withered and finally separated from the 
body. This usually occurs in about a week. A small 
pad of soft linen may be then placed on the umbilicus. 

The navel dressing is held in place by a flannel band 
around the abdomen, which is also supposed to serve the 
purpose of supporting the walls of this part, and there¬ 
by preventing an umbilical hernia, or any weakness of 
the abdominal wall which might, in later life, develop 
into a hernia. 

I think, however, that the time may come when we will 
treat the cord as Nature treats the cord of a calf or 
colt. She just scabs over the stump, and lets it alone. 
It heals normally, and that is all there is to it. 

As for the belly-band, I see no use for it except to 
hold the navel dressing in place, and, while it should be 
snug enough for this purpose, it should never be tight, 
as a tight band interferes with the circulation, the activ¬ 
ity of the skin and the breathing, while, by pressing on 

[9] 



How to Raise the Baby 


the stomach, it sometimes causes the child to vomit. The 
truth is that there is no danger of rupture at the navel 
unless the baby is overfed to such an extent that his 
little stomach is abnormally distended, and then the 
danger will be much greater if the muscles of the abdo¬ 
men have been prevented from developing by restriction 
of their activity. 

baby’s first meal 

After baby has safely arrived, and the nurse or at¬ 
tendant has bathed and fixed him up, and the mother has 
rested a little, it is advisable to bring him in and put him 
to the breast. 

This is good for both mother and baby. It helps the 
mother by exciting uterine contraction, thereby pre¬ 
venting danger from hemorrhage, and it helps the baby 
because that peculiar liquid, known as colostrum , with 
which the breasts are filled before the milk appears, acts 
as a cathartic. 

Colostrum is a thick, yellow secretion, not in the least 
like the bluish milk subsequently secreted. If you were 
to examine it under a miscroscope, you would find it 
contained some milk globules and a lot of fat corpuscles. 
The latter have a natural laxative action, producing, 
with less irritation than there would be from any 
cathartic which could possibly be substituted for it, a 
discharge of the meconium with which the infant’s 
bowels are loaded. 

don’t put the baby to the breast too often 

For the first few days, while the secretion of milk is 
being thoroughly established, the baby should be put to 
[ 10 ] 



First Care of the New-Born Infant 


the breast only at long intervals. For repeated at¬ 
tempts at suckling an empty breast are depressing 
to the spirits of both mother and child. Also by unduly 
irritating the breasts, they may do harm to those 
organs. 

For the first day or two, therefore, it is enough if the 
child is brought to the breast five or six times within 
twenty-four hours. 

There is no need for anxiety lest the child should not 
be getting enough nourishment. For Nature, again, has 
provided for this, in t! stored-up nutriment in its 
tissues. 

If a few teaspoonfuls >f boiled or distilled water are 
given from time to time—from a spoon or from a baby’s 
bottle—it will be quite safe to wait until the milk is se¬ 
creted for more frequent feedings. 

The milk “comes in” ibout the second or third day, 
and if the supply is sufficient for the baby’s needs all is 
well. If not, it will be necessary either to get a wet 
nurse, or to supply the deficiency with a milk modifi¬ 
cation. 

We shall take up this question in detail in a later 
chapter. 

baby*s first sleep 

After the child is properly taken care of, slipped into 
a tiny shirt, then into a comfortable dressing gown, and 
given its first short nursing, place him in his crib or 
bassinet in a thoroughly ventilated room, when he will 
be off to dreamland in a twinkling. 

Let those around baby’s quarters bear in mind the 
quietude from which he has so recently come and shield 
[ 11 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


him from loud or jarring noises, remembering that his 
greatest needs just now are rest, quiet and compara¬ 
tive darkness, together with plenty of fresh air. 

So shall he begin aright to take his place on life’s vast 
stage. 



[12] 



CHAPTER II 


Baby’s First Need 

“A Fairy came from her opal cave, 

In the depths of the onyx sea. 

And brought a babe with golden hair, 

And sparkling eyes like diamonds rare. 

And lips like rose, and skin so fair. 

And little hands with dimples deep 
To rub his eyes when he wanted sleep. 

And short* plump legs with which to creep.” 

T HE old superstition that divine revelation will en¬ 
able a mother to care for her baby with unerring 
wisdom has long since been passed into the discard. It is 
now well known that to trust to a mother’s love and in¬ 
stinct, unless they are supplemented by knowledge, is to 
lean on a broken reed. 

Even before the arrival of the child the mother-to-be 
should bring all her God-given powers to bear on the 
task of learning how she may assist Nature in perfect¬ 
ing the unborn, instead of going on blindly in the belief 
that Providence will help those who refuse to help them¬ 
selves. 

Oliver Wendell Holmes tells us that the education and 
training of a child should properly commence with its 
grandparents, if a child is to have the inheritance it has 
a right to demand of its progenitors. 

Be this as it may, of one thing we are certain, and 
that is that since this little bundle of responsibility has 
arrived, we must shoulder the burden with a fervor that 
will enable us to meet each phase of the situation as it 
presents itself with courage and joy. 

[13] 


How to Raise the Baby 


THE baby’s PHYSICAL NEEDS OUR FIRST CONCERN 

At first the baby’s physical needs and development 
demand all our care and attention, for the intellectual 
faculties are as yet inactive. Our aim in the beginning 
must be to assist Nature in building aright the body 
which is the temple of the budding soul. 

The first essentials of life being air and warmth, let 
us give these due consideration. As was mentioned in 
the foregoing chapter, the babe, up to the moment of 
birth, has been breathing through the medium of its 
mother. 

As soon as this connection is broken it must begin to 
breathe for itself. Its first demand upon the new world 
into which it has entered, therefore, is for oxygen. It 
can wait a while for its bath and still longer for food, 
but it must have air at once. The baby’s first require¬ 
ment, then, is a well-ventilated, warm apartment. 

ALL THE PURE AIR HE CAN BREATHE 

If our babies are permitted to breathe a pure atmos¬ 
phere from birth, by day as well as by night, and are 
given sun baths, they will grow and expand with all the 
strength and beauty of the things of the outdoor world, 
even though much of their time is spent indoors. 

But even when we have gained a point in the direction 
of free ventilation, we too often have another popular 
barrier to break down. This is the erroneous impression 
that the lungs, through the medium of the mouth and 
nostrils, form the sole respiratory channel. 

LET HIM BREATHE THROUGH THE SKIN, TOO 

This, however, is far from correct. For the skin has 
an important part to play in the respiratory economy 
[ 14 ] 



Baby’s First Need 


and it is seriously hampered in the performance of this 
function by either an overabundant supply of clothing, 
or a lack of proper cleanliness. More babies have their 
health permanently impaired by being overclad than by 
being underclad. We shall deal with this question in 
detail in a later chapter. 

The needs of the infant are comparatively simple, 
when they are properly understood. All that is re¬ 
quired is that you use good, common sense, eliminate 
non-essentials, and concentrate on the essentials. 

This leads to the brief but all-sufficient rule: Give 
baby his natural food and fresh air without stint and 
keep his body warm. Compared with these, all his other 
needs are as nothing. By meeting these requirements 
you will lay the foundation for a healthy babyhood and 
a robust manhood or womanhood. 





CHAPTER III 


Baby’s Sleep 

Last night, my darling, as you slept, 

I thought I heard you sigh, 

And to your little crib I crept, 

And watched a space thereby; 

And then I stooped and kissed your brow, 

For oh! I love you so— 

You are too young to know it now, 

But sometime you shall know. 

—Eugene Field. 

A S baby is to spend the greater part of the time for 
l the first three months of his life in slumber—for 
every healthy, happy youngster does so—it is impor¬ 
tant that he should be provided with a comfortable bed 
and that this should be placed in a favorable position. 

I make special mention of a place for the bed because 
so few realize that it makes any difference where baby 
is laid when he falls asleep. Many a mother has the 
unfortunate habit of dropping her sleeping child on the 
foot of her own bed, on the sofa, or indeed on any com¬ 
fortable-looking spot that presents itself at the moment, 
instead of running the risk of disturbing him, as she 
fancies, by carrying him to his own cot, even if it be 
ever so short a distance away. 

The bed should be placed near an open window. If 
you are among those fortunate ones who are not obliged 
to live cooped up in the city, it can even be placed out¬ 
doors, if protected from direct light, direct drafts, flies 
and insects. 

Always place the bed, crib, or bassinet, with the head 
toward the light. If the little stranger happens to wake 

[16] 


Baby’s Sleep 


and lies quietly looking about him, as a healthy baby 
will frequently do, his eyes will therefore not be over¬ 
taxed by the light shining directly into them. Many a 
case of defective eyesight has had its origin in the dear, 
fussy, grandparents pulling open the eyelid in a bright 
light to see if baby has brown eyes like his mother! 

For a long time the child’s eyes must be protected 
from bright light. In fact, it is a wise custom to keep 
the youngster in a shaded room during the first week 
after its arrival. Sun baths are not to be tabooed, but 
the youngster should lie on its stomach, with its eyes 
away from the sun. Or the eyes may be bandaged with 
a green cloth. 

NEAR A WINDOW IN A CITY APARTMENT 

If you live in the city, by all means place the baby’s 
crib where he can get plenty of outdoor air. 

For there is nothing in all this world—not even food 
itself—that is more important to health. Remember 
that a healthy grown person can live without food for 
from one to three months, but he cannot live without 
air for three minutes. 

In the winter, or in rainy weather, of course, the 
crib must be removed somewhat from the open window, 
but never put it in a remote corner where little light or 
air can reach it. 

The baby’s sleeping apartment need not, of course, 
be entirely shrouded in darkness. From earliest infancy 
let him have a certain amount of light and an abundance 
of air. He should sleep sometimes in the dark so that 
he will learn not to fear it, but he should also be trained 
to sleep in a moderate light, so that his slumber need 
[ 17 ] 


3 



How to Raise the Baby 


not be interfered with by every variation in these con¬ 
ditions. 

Though the dainty bassinet, with its filmy lace and 
ribbons, will appeal to most mothers, it is really not the 
most desirable resting place for baby, and can be of 
service but for a short time. For his little legs grow 
amazingly fast. Therefore, wisdom suggests that some¬ 
thing of a more utilitarian character be procured for 
him at the beginning. 

Perhaps the best of all beds is a little iron or brass 
crib which will do service for years. 

Over the bottom of the crib spread a sheet large 
enough to come well up over the sides. This is to be 
folded over the top of the mattress so that the latter 
may be kept free from the dust that is constantly rising 
from the floor and seeking lodgment in its tabs and 
binding. Dust on this sheet can be quickly and readily 
brushed off. 

The mattress should be of hair—never feathers. 
When baby grows older, however, an air mattress may 
be used. This is extremely comfortable, and can be 
recommended to all parents who can afford to give their 
children such a luxury. 

Baby’s sheets should be of cotton, for this is softer, 
more comfortable, and infinitely warmer than linen; and 
the wee mite needs the extra warmth, except on hot, 
humid and stifling days. 

HAVE PLENTY OF BEDCLOTHES 

In regard to bedclothes, as well as to baby’s wardrobe, 
it may be said that it is better to have quantity than 
quality. Insure him an abundant supply of fresh, sweet, 

[18] 



Baby’s Sleep 


inexpensive things, rather than skimp him for the sake 
of superior quality. 

Bed linen which has once become damp should never 
be used again without being washed, and if possible it 
should be sterilized by boiling and exposure to sunlight. 
The idea that airing and drying are all that is necessary 
is entirely w r rong. We grown-ups would surely rebel 
against such methods. Why then should we inflict them 
on a poor helpless baby, whose delicate skin is so much 
less fitted than our own to tolerate anything of an irri¬ 
tating nature. 


HOW TO PROTECT THE MATTRESS 



The mattress should be protected beneath the lower 

sheet by a square of 
rubber sheeting over 
which is placed a quilted 
square. Both of these 
articles can be pur¬ 
chased very reasonably 
and wash well. 


The bassinet, al¬ 
though attractive, 
is not the most 
helpful type of bed 
for baby, and is 
difficult t o keep 
perfectly clean. 


[19] 







How to Raise the Baby 



A modern type of crib. 

The old practice of using a folded blanket for protec¬ 
tion is not a good one, as the blanket becomes harsh 
through frequent washing. The pad of cheese-cloth filled 
with cotton should also be tabooed, because it will not 
wash and is, therefore, too apt to be dried and used 
again, a thing I cannot too strongly condemn. 

baby’s pillows 

Baby’s pillows should be quite tiny, about an inch 
thick and made of hair, instead of down or feathers. 
They may have dainty linen slips, if within the means of 
the parents. If not, cotton slips, kept fresh and dainty, 
will do very nicely. But as with sheets, there should be 
plenty of them, and a second pillow encased in a fresh 
slip should be kept for use in case of accident. 

[20] 













Baby’s Sleep 


A pair of baby blankets is the next thing required, 
and I would impress upon you the advisability of get¬ 
ting them large enough and light enough. The best ones 
are those made at home from a fine quality of blanketing, 
and bound with narrow wash ribbon. In this way they 
can be made just the right size, neither large enough to 
be cumbersome, nor yet so small as to be constantly 
slipping off the crib. 

Your little coverlid may be as pretty as you can de¬ 
vise, so long as it is light in weight, for it is really more 
for ornament than for use. 

AIRING THE BED 

When baby is not in his bed it should not remain 
made up, but should be opened and its clothes and 
mattress exposed to sun and air until it is needed 
again. 

Bathing and feeding times afford ample opportunity 
for this purifying process. Warm the bed before put¬ 
ting the baby in it again, especially if the day is cool or 
cold. 

HOW MUCH SLEEP SHOULD A BABY HAVE? 

The rules governing a baby’s sleeping should be 
much more flexible than those applied in the case of 
adults. 

For one thing, fast-growing children need more sleep 
than those of slow growth, though deficient sleep 
may be one cause of retarded growth. Babies re¬ 
quire and should get more sleep in winter than 
in summer. And vigorous children need less than 
delicate ones. 


[21] 




How to Raise the Baby 


At a rough estimate it might be said that for several 
weeks babies can use from eighteen to twenty-two hours 
out of every twenty-four very profitably in sleeping, or 
about nine-tenths of the time. 

This period gradually declines until at the end of six 
months the } 7 sleep only about two-thirds of the time, and 
by the third year one-half. By the sixth year, if left to 
their own good sensible instincts, they take about ten 
hours. Until three and a half or four, a daily nap is 
essential, and the practice of taking this secondary 



Always place the crib in such a position that the light will 
come from behind it, thus preventing a glare in the 
baby’s eyes. 

[22] 






















Baby’s Sleep 


interval of repose should continue to six or seven, if 
possible. Don’t fear that the child will sleep too much. 
Let him sleep all he wishes to, and never wake him to 
feed him. 

To awaken a child means to disturb the processes of 
development, and this should always be avoided, while it 
will do him but little harm to go hungry occasionally. 
There is always some stored fat that Nature can utilize 
to keep up temporarily, at least, the vital forces. 
In fact, the skipping of a meal occasionally may im¬ 
prove the child’s appetite, so that he will take more food 
in the end as the result of his abstinence. 

WHAT IS THE PROPER SLEEPING POSITION? 

The little one’s best position during sleeping or wak¬ 
ing hours, is on his abdomen, with head turned so that 
the cheek rests on the pillow, though there is no special 
objection to his lying on his side. In either of these 
positions should there be the slightest regurgitation, 
the clotted milk will not choke him, for he will be readily 
able to spit it out. 

While the child should be kept reasonably quiet dur¬ 
ing sleeping hours, he should not be too closely guarded 
from noises, as this is likely to make him unduly sensi¬ 
tive to them. He will soon become accustomed to the 
ordinary sounds of the household, and will not be dis¬ 
turbed by them unless they should be sudden, harsh, or 
jarring. Such sounds, in view of his delicate organism, 
should be carefully guarded against, as should also a 
continuous clatter and din, which, though they may 
not wake him, cannot fail to have an unfavorable 
influence. 


[23] 



How to Raise the Baby 



No pillow and lying on side: comfortable and correct position 
for sleep. 

DO NOT ROCK THE BABY 

The habit of rocking or, indeed, of lulling baby to 
sleep in one’s arms, is a bad one. Rather accustom 
him to being put back in his crib after nursing. 

For his education has now begun, and what is done 
from the beginning will be expected by the child later on. 

It is amazing how quickly a child will “pick up” a 
habit. Rock him to sleep only once, and he’ll remember 
the experience, and demand its repetition, in ways that 
sometimes are nothing short of tyrannical. 

It is a matter of common knowledge that mothers 
frequently rock their babies as though they were at¬ 
tempting to shake sleep into them. Indeed, it is a com¬ 
mon sight, as one walks along the street, to note a 
mother madly rocking the carriage in which her baby is 
supposed to be resting, in the futile endeavor to put 
the child to sleep. 


[24] 












Baby’s Bleep 



Position flat on back tends to encourage mouth breathing. 

This practice is absolutely vicious. In fact, the baby 
can not possibly be more comfortable in such a situation 
than you or I would be were we away in a small ship 
somewhere in the middle of the ocean, during the pro¬ 
gress of a fierce typhoon. 

Remember, sleep in children, as well as in adults, 
should be wooed, not forced. 

Another objection to rocking is that it puts a strain 
on the baby’s eyes which it is well to avoid, especially 
when there is any tendency to strabismus, or cross-eyes, 
as is frequently the case with young children who have 
not yet learned to “accommodate.” 

WHEN BABY DOESN’T SLEEP 

As every parent knows, nothing in the world will 
sicken a baby more quickly and surely than will loss 
of sleep. This condition is usually a symptom of some¬ 
thing radically wrong with the child’s health. 

If the sleeplessness is habitual, occurring night after 

[ 25 ] 





How to Raise the Baby 


night, it is likely to be the result of digestive disorders, 
such as the formation of gas, or fermentative changes in 
the food. If the baby is bottle-fed, it may be possible 
that he is getting too much to eat. If breast-fed, he 
may not be getting enough, due to the fact that the 
mother’s milk supply is deficient, or else that she does 
not keep the infant at the breast long enough to com¬ 
pletely satisfy his appetite, and to supply the needs of 
growth and nutrition. But even breast-fed babies are 
too frequently overfed. During the first year the 
amount of food required is much smaller than is com¬ 
monly realized. An analysis of the infant’s stool shows 
by bulk and ingredients that only a small percentage 
of the milk ingested is assimilated. “Stuffing” the in¬ 
fant, therefore, cannot fail to upset its digestion and 
interfere with its sleep. 

Occasionally, sleeplessness is due to too frequent 
night feeding. Infants accustomed to feed three or four 
times a night are rarely good sleepers. 

Quite frequently restless, disturbed sleep may be due 
purely to nervous irritability. 

Bad habits developed by faulty training—as for in¬ 
stance, taking baby up and walking with him around 
the room every time he wakes at night or happens to 
cry; or rocking, either in a cradle, or by sitting with him 
in a rocking-chair, may cause an irritable condition of 
the nervous system that reflects itself in insomnia. 

A baby will sleep better if the skin is well protected. 
It was well protected before birth, and must become ac¬ 
customed gradually to the new conditions. As a rule, 
woolens are a better protection than cotton fabrics, 
though a mixture of wool and cotton, wool and silk, or 
[ 26 ] 



Baby’s Sleep 


wool and linen, is preferable to wool alone. Therefore, 
during the first month garments of such combinations 
should be worn during sleeping hours. 

There is one practice I would specially urge to facili¬ 
tate better sleep in infants. Instead of binding them 
up in heavy diapers, fold the diapers and place them 
beneath the body so as to receive the excretions and 
leave the genitals as free as possible from contact with 



the latter. Pinning the diapers up around the buttocks 
holds the stool and urine against the genitals, and adds 
to the irritation which they cause. 

THE TIGHT BANDAGE INTERFERES WITH SLEEP 

Another thing that interferes with the rest and sleep 
of the new-born infant is a tight bandage. I have seen 
[ 27 ] 







































How to Raise the Baby 


infants on whom circumcision had been performed, or 
on whose eyes a powerful solution of nitrate of silver 
had been used, pass off into quiet sleep and sleep un¬ 
disturbed almost twenty-two hours out of the twenty- 
four. Also, I have seen children with no cause of dis¬ 
comfort but a snug binder fret and cry from birth until 
this was removed. 

I should also urge the use of loose bedclothing, for the 
less the child is restricted the more quietly it will sleep. 

If baby’s signals are considered from the first, as they 
should be, he will soon learn to give a warning cry when¬ 
ever he is wet. Then a quiet, skilful mother can make 
the needed change with so little disturbance to him that 
he will scarcely awaken. Or, if he does, he will drop 
asleep almost instantly again. 

After a very short time, when he shall have accus¬ 
tomed himself to regular habits, a watchful mother can 
anticipate his needs, and by taking him up at the first 
sign of significant restlessness, she will be rewarded by 
having the most enviable of all earthly possessions, “a 
clean, sweet baby.” 

LET THE BABY ALONE 

Having provided the baby with a comfortable bed in 
a well-ventilated room, having seen that it is properly 
clothed and fed and so forth, it only remains to let it 
alone and watch it grow as the flowers grow. 

During a child’s early life its main function is to eat 
and sleep, and he will attend very strictly to that busi¬ 
ness if allowed to. When not doing either of these 
things he will, normally, lie contentedly in his crib 
wriggling and kicking and getting needed exercise. 

[ 28 ] 



Baby’s Sleep 


Ordinarily he should be taken up only to be fed, bathed, 
or changed. 

Many people seem to think that a baby is a toy pro¬ 
vided for the amusement of relatives and friends, and 
do not scruple to interfere with his very important busi¬ 
ness of growing up whenever they want to entertain or 
be entertained. In other words, it is considered perfect¬ 
ly proper to take him from his crib at any time when 
he is not sleeping for the purpose of exhibiting him, kiss¬ 
ing, cuddling and bouncing him about. 

This practice is a very pernicious one. The mother, 
perhaps, cannot be denied altogether the privilege of ex¬ 
hibiting her child to admiring friends, or of taking him 
up in order that she may lavish upon him her own ca¬ 
resses ; but such disturbances should be reduced to a 
minimum, for they are very trying to the child’s nerves 
and may even cause direct injury to his delicate little 
organs. 

Still another harmful result may be to start the child 
in life with an exaggerated idea of his own importance. 
If his own common sense does not correct this error later 
on, it is not too much to say that it may land him 
eventually in an insane asylum, for the “exalted ego” is 
the most common delusion of the insane, and frequently 
has its origin in the first few years of the demented one’s 
life. The Japanese are exceptionally free from this de¬ 
lusion. This is due to the fact that they do not pamper 
their infants. The early years are the most impres¬ 
sionable, and only too often infants are led astray with 
wrong impressions. 

As Josh Billings puts it: “Man never was born a 
fool, he only was supplied with the raw materials.” 
[ 29 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


Whatever you may do elsewhere, always maintain 
perfect composure in the presence of your children, for 
mental disturbance retards both mental and physical 
growth. 

Always treat children as incidents, not as the acme 
of events. This does not mean that you should show 
indifference to them. Just the contrary, for it puts the 
child on a common plane with you if you treat him as an 
equal. 


[ 30 ] 



CHAPTER IV 


Baby’s Bath 


Clear and cool, clear and cool. 

By laughing shallow, and dreaming pool; 

Undefiled for the undefiled— 

Play by me, bathe in me, mother and child. 

—Charles Kingsley. 


T) ABY’S daily bath should be alike a benefit and a 
pleasure to him. If judiciously given, it will not 
be long before he will look forward to it eagerly. But 
judgment is required in this as in all other things per¬ 
taining to his care. 

For instance, it would be decidedly unwise to immerse 
baby at once in a cold bath, although such a bath will 
be one of his greatest luxuries and benefits in later life. 
Not only do we need to gauge the temperature of the 
water, but also that of the room in which the bath is 
given. 

The temperature of the room is of more importance 
than the temperature of the bath itself. It should be 
at first from 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Everything 
should be in readiness before beginning operations. 


PREPARING FOR THE BATH 

Baby will have had breakfast with a nap following, 
which will probably bring the time up to about ten. The 
bath basin should be filled with water at a temperature, 
for the first few weeks, of about 98 degrees, and after¬ 
ward at a degree lower each week until it is 90, or even 
as low as 75 degrees. Now you need a piece of white 

[ 31 ] 


How to Raise the Baby 



ia0 <fe2>: 


Hot 


Tepid 


Tempt 


Cool 


castile soap—of the best quality, of 
course—a soft wash-cloth, and towels, 
preferably old ones, soft and worn. 

The temperature of the water should 
be taken with a reliable bath thermom¬ 
eter. It should not be guessed at, or 
accepted on faith. 

If you haven’t a bath thermometer, 
you may test the water for the first few 
baths by putting your elbow in it. Do 
not trust the reaction on the hand, as 
this is not sufficiently reliable. But if 
the temperature of the water is just 
about that of the elbow, you can be 
pretty sure that it is approximately 
of the proper temperature. As the 
temperature of later baths is gradually 
lowered, a more accurate method of 
testing it should be adopted. 

BORIC-ACID SOLUTION FOR EYES AND 
MOUTH 

For the first three or four weeks, at 
least, you will want boric-acid solution 
with which to wash baby’s mouth and 
eyes, using a small bowl for this pur¬ 
pose, and tiny pieces of soft old linen. 

These last serve also for the dressing 
of the navel. A little olive oil may be 
placed on the linen to prevent it from 
adhering. 

The dressing of the navel will be required only for a 
few days, however. If the wound is kept clean, the 
[ 32 ] 


HO 
100 
90 
60 
TO 
60 
50 
40 
50 
20 
IQ 


Cold 

BdHh 

Free?, - 



Bath thermom¬ 
eter with Fahr¬ 
enheit scale 
showing the 
temperatures of 
different ther¬ 
mal baths. 























The modern bathinette, with its convenient pockets and 
dressing table, is a great aid in making baby’s bath com¬ 
fortable. 

[ 33 ] 


4 






How to Raise the Baby 



These illustrations and the one on the opposite page show 
the position in which the baby’s body should be held 
and the manner of supporting its head in various stages of 
washing, bathing and dressing. During its early months 
baby’s head should never be allowed to hang unsupported. 

remnant of the cord will soon shrivel up and drop off 
as painlessly and uneventfully as does the cord of a 
young kitten. 

HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE BATH 

Now, having donned your bathing apron, undress 
the wee one, snuggling him closely to you to keep him 
warm. Having poured a little of the boric-acid solu¬ 
tion into the bowl and washed your own hands, or bet¬ 
ter, dipped them into a separate cleansing solution, put 
in baby’s bowl a few of the little scraps of linen and 

[ 34 ] 







Baby’s Bath 



wash his eyes. Always wash from the outer angle in¬ 
ward, being careful never to use the same cloth on both 
eyes. These cloths should be discarded at once after 
use, and never dropped into the clean solution. 

Next, wash the little mouth in the same manner, after 
which baby may find a teaspoonful of water grateful. 

Now, for the first three or four weeks, wash the face 
and head, drying these directly and then proceed to 
bathe one member at a time—neck, chest, arms, etc.— 

always drying 
each as bathed, 
to prevent chill¬ 
ing from expos¬ 
ing too much of 
the surface at 
once. p 
This piece¬ 
meal mode of 
operation keeps 
the sensitive 
body comfort¬ 
able throughout 
the bath. 

When the en¬ 
tire body has 
been bathed, im- 
merse baby 
gently in his 
bath for a sec¬ 
ond, so as to 

Illustrating how the young baby’s head accustom him to 
should be supported while it is being , . ,. 

bathed. the sensation, 


[ 35 ] 





How to Raise the Baby 


for when he is three or four weeks old he is going to be 
bathed in the tub, instead of on his mother’s knee. 

After the bath is over and before dressing the child, 
he should enjoy the luxury of a rub. This is espe¬ 
cially grateful to his little back on which he spends so 
much of his time, until or unless his mother has learned 
the value of the stomach-down position. 

Lay him across your knee and rub gently but firmly 
with your hand only, up and down the spinal column, 
until it is suffused with a soft pink glow, and baby will 
invariably stretch his little limbs as if asking a rub in 
that direction as well. 

This mild form of friction accelerates the circulation, 
and at the same time provides a soothing, beneficial form 
of exercise. 

He will now probably be just comfortable and fa¬ 
tigued enough to find his cot grateful. 

But if he feels like romping, and the room is warm 
enough, do not be in haste to dress him. Let him take 
his exercise with unrestricted body—without clothing, 
or in the thinnest and loosest of wrappers. 

HOW TO GET BABY ACCUSTOMED TO COOL BATHS 

If the temperature of the water is lowered daily and 
almost imperceptibly, the baby, in an amazingly short 
time, will come to enjoy the cool water, and will manifest 
his pleasure by kicking, crowing and splashing, as soon 
as he is placed in it—providing it is not below 80 or 75 
degrees at the lowest, and proper precautions in re¬ 
gard to room temperature have been taken. 

Except in certain rare disease conditions the cold 
bath should not be given before the age of three months. 
[36] 



Baby’s Bath 


In case a cold bath is desired, in the heat of summer 
and for a child over three months of age, it is better for 
general health and for immediate effect to continue the 
bath until the pink has returned to the skin, showing 
that full reaction has been established. It requires ap¬ 
proximately a minute for this reaction. Such a bath 
should not be given at a lower temperature than 75 
degrees. This bath has a decided tonic effect. 

If for any reason a soothing bath is desired to pro¬ 
mote sleep, a warm bath at night will be helpful. An 
immersion at 90 to 98 degrees Fahrenheit, continued for 
fifteen or twenty minutes, will give several hours of very 
restful sleep. 

Such a bath at night will not be injurious, as the 
long, relaxed sleep will allow the child to fully recuper¬ 
ate from any slight weakening that may result from it. 

While the evening bath may be for either cleansing 
or relaxing purposes, the morning bath should be for 
cleansing only. For this purpose it need not and, in 
fact, should not be a lengthy affair. 

At first the room temperature should be from 80 to 
85 Fahrenheit. This will prevent too rapid evaporation 
of the water on the surface of the child’s body, which 
might result in a chill, as happens most frequently m a 
very warm room. After two or three weeks the 
room temperature may be gradually reduced to 75 
degrees. 

If a baby is vigorous, a good “hardening” treatment 
is a warm bath followed by cool water poured over the 
shoulders and chest and abdomen, and also allowed to 
run down the back. The temperature of the water may 
be gradually lowered from 85 to 75 degrees, or even to 
[37] 



How to Raise the Baby 


65 for a very vigorous child of four or five months or 
older. This cold douche should not be continued, how¬ 
ever, longer than a minute or so. 

AVOID EXCESSIVE USE OF POWDER 

The excessive use of powder for baby following the 
bath is a practice to be strongly condemned. For if 
he be kept sweet and clean, there is but little necessity 
for powder to clog the pores of the skin, which should 
be kept open for the sake of health. 

If the baby is quite plump, and there is any evidence 
of chapping in the “hinges” of the elbows or knees, or 
between the thighs, a little stearate of zinc is useful. 

This is also valuable because it prevents irritation 
from the urine. 


[ 38 ] 



CHAPTER V 


Baby’s Nursery 

It makes us all feel good to have a baby 
on the place. 

With his everlastin’ crowing and his dimpling, 
dumpling face; 

The patter of his pinkey feet makes music 
everywhere, 

And when he shakes those fists of his, good-by 
to every care! 

—Eugene Field. 

B ABY’S nursery is his castle. As we hope for a happy 
1 reign for him therein, let us provide him a suitable 
environment. If the house is a small one, there will not 
be much choice as to the location of his chamber, but 
nevertheless, let the big folk give precedence to his little 
majesty, and yield him the choicest spot in it. 

Light and air are essentials, and if possible, there 
should be a southern exposure. For, although we hope 
that our model baby will have his daily outing, inclement 
weather or inability to have someone always ready to 
take him out may sometimes necessitate his getting his 
airing indoors. 

If, on these occasions, the windows are thrown wide 
open and the baby dressed as for outdoors, he will de¬ 
rive almost the same benefit as though he had had a real 
outing. Of course, when he is old enough to toddle 
about, he will enjoy doing so a thousand times more 
than being cooped up in his crib or carriage, and will 
derive far greater benefit from it. 

[ 39 ] 


How to Raise the Baby 


don’t put carpets in a nursery 

The nursery should never be carpeted, but should 
rather have a hardwood or painted floor, linoleum, or 
cocoa matting, upon which may be a rug or square of 
carpet, this latter being removed daily to be brushed or 
shaken. 

The nursery thus sanitarily equipped can have the 
floor washed daily, or brushed. Baby is thus saved 
from breathing dust-laden air continually, as is inevi¬ 
tably the case when the floor is carpeted. 

The only hangings permitted in the room should be 
of wash material, preferably muslin. As a matter of 
fact, however, the ideal nursery would have no curtains 
at all to catch and retain the dust, but rather dark 
shades, or better still, inside lattice blinds, or “shutters,” 
the slats of which will aid in regulating the ventilation, 
as well as in moderating, when required, the power of 
the sun’s rays. 

HOW TO REGULATE THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT 

However, this last can be managed nicely, even if 
one’s house has not lattice blinds, by having on each 
window two closed curtains of glazed linen, one of which 
is white, the other green. By their aid the light can be 
adjusted perfectly. 

The windows should at no time be tightly closed, 
either by night or day, except in severe cold, or unusual¬ 
ly inclement weather. Perhaps one of the most excel¬ 
lent modes of establishing perfect, continuous ventila¬ 
tion is that described by C. E. Page, M. D., in his work 
“How to Feed the Baby, with Health Hints,” from 
which I quote: 


[ 40 ] 





“ mt* CU 

to « « 3 
4>T3 


bo « 
bo*C 


to 

a'S 


CO X u 


CO 


v a> 


<u 

C ^ 
O 


bo£ 

C .2 

g °' D C* 

U +J 4J 

CO 

aJ 


co C3 3 
3 <u O 

a g -3 

•H " +J 

Ji 3 ^ 

h-°s 

b-° « 

1> CO <4-1 
CO .*_> 

ij jj » 


CO 

b/3 

C 

-3 C 
.2 « 
SJ 5 

3 u 
tM a 
v $> 


[ 41 ] 


































































































































































How to Raise the Baby 


TO GET PROPER VENTILATION 

“The true theory of ventilation is to obtain a per¬ 
petual and sufficient change of air without sensible 
draught. The following simple plan, as I have proved 
by years of experience, perfectly fulfills these require¬ 
ments, and leaves nothing to be desired. 

“The Scientific American endorses the plan, and 
places it above many, in fact most, of the elaborate 
and expensive devices. A three-inch strip placed be¬ 
neath the lower sash of each window has the effect of 
‘mismatching’ the sashes, causing them to overlap each 
other in the middle. The stream of air thus admitted is 
thrown directly upward, and slowly mixed with the 
heated air in the upper part of the room. As several 
windows in each room are thus provided, the vitiated air 
is constantly passing out at one or another of the venti¬ 
lators. 

“The strip being perfectly fitted or listed, no air can 
enter at the sill, and all can be so nicely finished as in 
no manner to mar the appearance of the most elegant 
drawing-room. A dwelling thus ventilated will never 
smell ‘close’ to the most sensitive nose upon entering it, 
even after a prolonged stay in the open air, a test that 
would condemn as unfit for occupancy ninety in the 
hundred sitting and sleeping rooms, as well as churches, 
halls, etc., the world over.” 

However good the continuous ventilation, the nursery 
should have, in addition, a special airing every day. The 
baby’s daily outing furnishes an opportune time to 
throw open the windows and also the little bed, thus 
virtually turning the room inside out. 

[ 42 ] 



Baby’s Nursery 


DON T LET THE AIR GET TOO DRY 

If the nursery is heated by a radiator or hot-air 

register, it is 
very necessary 
that provision 
be made for 
keeping a prop¬ 
er amount of 
humidity in the 
air of the room. 

For nothing 
is more irritat¬ 
ing to the deli¬ 
cate r e s p i ra- 
tory passages 
of an infant 
than air which 
has been cooked 
to death, and 
which contains 
little of its nat¬ 
ural moisture. 

To overcome 
this condition, 
it is well to keep 
a pan of water 
on the radiator 
with a small 
towel hanging 
therefrom down 
over the coils or 



Diagram in detail of a method of venti¬ 
lating baby’s nursery. A strip of wood 
is inserted under the sash, the fresh air 
from the outside then passing into the 
room in the space between the two 
sashes as indicated by the arrow. 


pipes, or some similar arrangement over the register. 

[43] 



















































How to Raise the Baby 


This will serve to keep 
a proper amount of va¬ 
por in the air. 

It is almost unneces¬ 
sary to mention that, for 
ideal nursery conditions, 
there should be no drying 
of clothes or wet napkins 
in the room, and that if 
gas-heaters or kerosene 
stoves must be used great 
care should be takfen to 
see that the oxygen they 
consume is replaced. 

don’t make a museum of 

THE NURSERY 

Next, as to the nursery 
furnishings. It is not 
well to have any more in 
the room than is neces¬ 
sary for comfort and 
convenience. The follow¬ 
ing would suggest them¬ 
selves: Baby’s bed, and 
the bed of nurse or moth¬ 
er—which, however, had 
much better be placed in 
an adjoining room—bureau, table, and low washstand, 
with fittings; also a nursery chair. These are the essen¬ 
tials ; the adornment must be left to the individual 
taste. 

But I would suggest that with the exception of a few 

[ 44 ] 



baby’s nursery is steam-heated 
by means of radiation, the dry¬ 
ing of the air can be counter¬ 
acted by placing a shallow pan 
filled with water on the radiator, 
the evaporation being assisted 
by suspending from the pan a 
heavy towel as illustrated. 























Baby’s Nursery 


suitable pictures, the artistic side need not be strongly 
emphasized in these early days, as a multiplicity of 
things only serves to collect dust, and time and care 
are better bestowed upon baby than on the superfluous 
things in his quarters. 

As he grows older, Lilliputian furnishings, and any¬ 
thing else that adds to the attractivenes of his surround¬ 
ings without interfering with the utilitarian purposes 
of a nursery, may be added. 

For the reasons given in Chapter III, neither the 
rocking-chair nor the cradle should find a place in a 
well regulated nursery. Both are conducive to the form¬ 
ing of bad habits. 



CHAPTER VI 


Baby’s Wardrobe 

“When thou thyself, a watery, pulpy, slobbery 
freshman, and newcomer in the Planet, sattest muling 
and puking in thy nurse’s arms, sucking thy coral, 
and looking forth in the blankest manner, what hadst 
thou been without thy blankets and bibs and other 
nameless hulls; a terror to thyself and mankind.” 

—Carlyle in “Sartor Resartus.” 

T HE proper care of baby’s birthday clothes having 
been provided for, we must next turn our attention 
to “His Majesty’s” wardrobe, first impressing upon 
every mother the fact that more infants are injured 
and hampered in the days of their early development by 
an excessive amount of clothing than by the lack of it. 
Only enough clothing for warmth should be the rule. 

The old idea that the baby should first of all be in¬ 
cased in a veritable straight-jacket, as that instrument 
of infant torture, the abdominal band, most surely was, 
has been exploded. 

The only band that is required to be about the baby’s 
body should, as already stated, be just close enough to 
hold in place the tiny compress with which the navel 
is dressed. 

It should rarely be worn for more than three or four 
months and usually, for vigorous babies, six to eight 
weeks will be long enough. With very thin children, or 
with those subject to diarrhea, it is worn loosely for a 
very considerable period, as a measure of protection 
against cold. In other children it serves as a preventive 
of navel or ventral hernia. 


Baby’s Wardrobe 


HOW THE BAND IS MADE 

The band in question is 
made of fine, soft flan¬ 
nel, the edges being 
left raw or pinked, but 
never hemmed or fancy- 
stitched, as this tends to 
make them tighter than 
the center, and thus most 
uncomfortable to baby’s 
sensitive flesh. It should 
be about six inches in 
width and eighteen in 
length. 

Next come the napkins. 
The material for these 
should be procured weeks 
in advance. Having been 
thoroughly washed in or¬ 
der to free it from the 
dressing that is found in 
all new fabrics, it should 
be exposed to the sun and air and sprinkled occasionally 
with water. This treatment will soften it sufficiently for 
contact with baby’s delicate skin. 

Napkins should not be made very large. A large 
napkin is hot and uncomfortable, and likely, by its 
pressure on the little one’s soft leg bones, to encourage 
any tendency to bow-legs that may exist. 

THE BABY’S SHIRTS 

Baby’s shirts are best made of a mixture of silk and 
wool, or linen and wool, as these keep in a much better 
[ 47 ] 






How to Raise the Baby 



condition when washed constantly than does an all-wool 
fabric. They are also better for the very young baby 
if buttoned all the way down the front, or on one side, 
with small linen buttons and a narrow facing flap, than 
if they have an opening only at the neck, as in the latter 
case the putting on and taking off are uncomfortable 
for baby and troublesome for the dresser. If the shirts 
are made w r ith a flap at the bottom, both back and front, 
on which to secure the diaper, they will keep down snug¬ 
ly and prevent the slipping away of the napkin at the 
waist. 

Next to be considered is the flannel princess skirt, 
then one thin 
pet ticoat, 
and finally 
the dainty 
nainsook 
dress or slip. 

Pinning 
blankets for¬ 
tunately are 
now done 
away with 
by sensible 
people, as 
are also the 
long, c u m - 
b e r s o m e 
skirts of for¬ 
mer times. 

None of the 
baby’s gar- 


The waterproof diaper is a great help for 
short journeys. 

[ 48 ] 









Baby’s Wardrobe 



Baby’s dresses should always be simple. 


ments are now long enough to hamper his movements, 
and they are all loose enough and full enough to admit 
of free ventilation and unrestricted use of the limbs. 

The little skirts and slips are made in the princess 
style, rather than on a tight waistband, as formerly. 
[49] 


5 




How to Raise the Baby 



Baby’s coat. Baby’s clothes may be pretty without being 
fussy. 

It is well to have a few tiny sacks and a light flannel 
dressing-gown for use when extra warmth is required. 
But baby should never be burdened with a featherweight 
more of clothing than is necessary for comfort. 

A three-piece set, consisting of a Nightingale sack, 
cap and bootees of white mercerized poplin of fine qual¬ 
ity, makes a most effective outfit for an infant. And a 
few white, or white and pink, or white and blue linen 
bibs might be added, to protect the front of the little 
dress. 


[ 50 ] 






Baby’s Wardrobe 


In this outline I have suggested only the needful gar¬ 
ments for baby’s wardrobe. Many delightful additions 
will doubtless be made by the hands of a loving mother, 
and by admiring friends and relatives, particularly if 
a baby in the family happens to be a novelty; but they 
should all bear in mind the fact that when resources are 
limited, a sufficient supply of simple clothing is better 
than an inadequate quantity of more elaborate and 
expensive articles. 

Baby’s things cannot be of too delicate a fabric, for 
nothing is too dainty for the little bundle of sweetness. 
Yet speaking merely from the point of view of appear¬ 
ances, a fresh, wholesome, clean baby, in plain, inex¬ 
pensive garments, is infinitely preferable to a baby in 
soiled or mussy finery. Most of us have seen babies far 
from clean and sweet, yet with voluminous lace-bedecked 
robes whose very condition bespoke the lack of a change 
which the poor, foolish parent’s love of finery had 
robbed her of the means to provide. 

Baby’s nightgowns should be of the simplest pattern, 
and not sufficiently long to hamper his movements, while 
his little flannel robe or dressing-gown should be of the 
same length. 

It is almost needless to say that only the thinnest 
gauze flannel undershirts should be worn during the 
heated days of summer, changes in the temperature be¬ 
ing met by the addition of outer garments. 

Great care should be taken to see that the baby is 
not kept too warm during the heat of the day; and 
equal care is necessary to guard against chilling in the 
cool of the morning and evening, especially at the moun¬ 
tains or the seashore. 


[ 51 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


THE EXTENT OF BABY’S 
WARDROBE 

It is most difficult to 
form an adequate esti¬ 
mate of the extent and 
probable cost of a baby’s 
outfit. 

If laundering is done 
frequently, a smaller 
quantity will suffice, and 
if means are limited, a 
sensible mother will find 
that she can do without 
much that might other¬ 
wise be considered neces¬ 
sary. Provided the baby’s 
health and comfort are 
not sacrificed, the matter 
is one in which one can 
allow one’s self consider¬ 
able latitude. 

I consider the follow¬ 
ing articles almost indis¬ 
pensable to baby’s com¬ 
fort : 



Baby’s bonnet, simple and at¬ 
tractive. 


Three flannel bands—the flannel that is 
mixed with cotton is preferable, as it does 
not shrink or thicken as do the all-wool 
materials. 

Three flannel skirts, all of the above quality. 

Three nainsook skirts. 

[ 52 ] 






Baby’s Wardrobe 


Three nightdresses. 

Six dresses or slips. 

Twelve pieces of cotton diapering. 

One dressing-gown or slumber-robe. 

Six little shirts. 

Of course, with so small a wardrobe as the above, 
frequent laundering is necessary, but if one’s means 
are limited, one can manage nicely with the foregoing. 
If, however, one is not restricted financially, a more 
bountiful supply of each, as well as dainty jackets, 
bootees and many little comforts, will readily suggest 
themselves. I have only enumerated the “needfuls,” not 
the “delightfuls” of baby’s wardrobe. 

baby’s basket 

Baby’s basket affords many delightful hours’ work, 
and rewards the mother amply if she has the time to 
spend on it. The basket may be lined in one’s favorite 
color, with a dotted Swiss over it. 

The pretty tradition of “pink for a girl” and “blue 
for a boy” still survives. Yet I think the daintiest bas¬ 
kets I have ever seen have been entirely of white, which 
looks new each time that it is washed. Too often the 
colored silks fade, and thus lose much of their prettiness. 
As to the fittings for the basket, there is a wide diver¬ 
sity of choice and opinion. 

For the mother of limited means, everything needful 
is provided in celluloid. Such articles are very dainty 
and pretty, indeed. They include brush, jar for oil 
or vaseline, tray, pin-box, soap-box, needle-case, and 
whatever else the fancy may dictate. These articles 
are procurable in white or colors. For those who can 
[ 58 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 


USE ONLY TWO PINS FOlt BABY’S CLOTHES 


There are, by the way, but two pins allowable on any 
properly dressed baby. These are the large safety-pins 
required for the diaper. 


afford them, 
they come in 
sterling silver, 
tortoise shell 
and ivory, either 
of the 1 a 11 e r 
two being pref- 
erable to the 
silver, which is 
readily dis- 
colored by 
atmospheric in¬ 
fluences. 

The bassi¬ 
net, which 
comes under the 
heading of luxu- 
ries, rather 
than necessities, 
should corre¬ 
spond in color 

-J with the basket, 

Wrong way to dress baby. Pulling and the entire 
dresses on over his head bewilders him ./»..• ^ ? .1 

and makes him uncomfortable. outfitting ot the 

nursery may be 

secured in colors that harmonize. But of this side of 
the subject I will treat more fully elsewhere. 










Baby’s Wardrobe 


The proper way to fasten the band is by stitching it 
up the side with needle and thread, because buttons, be 
they ever so tiny, or even tapes, are irritating to baby’s 
tender flesh. 

On the looser clothing, however, small-sized linen but¬ 
tons may be used, and tiny pearl buttons may fasten 
the little dress or slip, except for a very young baby, 
in which case linen buttons throughout are certainly 
the most comfortable means of adjustment. 



The right way to dress the baby. Draw all skirts up over 
his feet. 

baby’s footgear 

“To the ear of the mother, what sound more sweet 
than the patter of baby’s feet?” 

The less that baby wears upon his feet, the healthier 
and happier he will be. In warm weather, he is decidedly 
most comfortabie, and better off as far as his health is 
concerned, without any foot covering whatever. At no 
season of the year should his feet be cramped or ham¬ 
pered by heavy stockings or shoes. 

^ [ 55 ] 








How to Raise the Baby 



Socks are in 
every way pref¬ 
erable to stock¬ 
ings. Those of 
open mesh are 
to be preferred. 
But you must 
be careful to 
have them 
roomy enough. 
The cramping 
of the delicate 
foot of an in¬ 
fant is likely to 
produce such 
distortion as 
may be the 
cause of perma¬ 
nent foot trou¬ 
ble later on, and 
the practice has 
much to do with 
the fact that among civilized people a perfect foot is 
hard to find after the age of infancy. 

Either through carelessness, or for reasons of econ¬ 
omy, mothers often continue to use shoes or stock¬ 
ings for baby’s foot after the child has outgrown 
them. 

With babies, as with adults, it is always well to have 
stockings, as well as shoes, amply large, in order to 
provide for the free movement of the feet, and avoid 
any interference with circulation, which restriction is 


Wrong way to dress baby. Never “yank” 
on a baby’s sleeve. 








Baby's Wardrobe 


very fre¬ 
quently the 
cause of the 
cold, clammy 
extremities 
from which 
many infants 
chronically 
suffer. 

Fortunate¬ 
ly for the 
future of a 
good many 
of the race, 
that most 
sensible form 
of footgear, 
the sandal, 
is not denied 
to the baby. 

And it is so 
simple and 

inexpensive as to be within the reach of every 
mother. 

Sandals can be knitted of silk or wool, or they may 
be made of cloth, chamois or kid, as desired. None of 
them are very expensive. 

An advantage of silk or wool over kid is that the 
former can be washed. Yet kid can be readily cleansed 
at home at trifling cost. And sandals made of kid are 
extremely pretty. 

In making sandals use no pattern for the sole other 



Right way to dress baby. Always gather 
the sleeve up and slip arm through. 


[ 57 ] 







How to Raise the Baby 


than the outline of the child’s foot. The foot will not 
then have to accommodate itself to the shape of the san¬ 
dal, regardless of comfort or future contour. 

In addition to his sandals, it would be well to supply 
baby with knee shields when he is creeping. These are 
extremely simple in design, and can be made from rem¬ 
nants of the materials used for sandals. 

In conclusion let me again emphasize the fact that 
comfort should be the first consideration in planning 
an infant’s wardrobe. This is infinitely more important 
than is the satisfaction of the mother in the mere “pret¬ 
tiness” of the dear baby’s costume. 


[ 58 ] 



CHAPTER VII 


Care of Baby’s Special Organs 

Then she smoothes the eyelids down, 

Over those two eyes of brown— 

In such soothing, tender wise, 

Cometh Lady Button-Eyes. 

I T is not often that the eyes of a healthy baby born 
of healthy parents give any cause for anxiety. Yet 
it may happen, in spite of every precaution, that a 
child’s eyes become infected at the time of birth. Then 
it is that these, the most sensitive organs of the body, 
call for untiring attention, since permanent injury, if 
not actual blindness, frequently results from lack of 
attention under such conditions. 

The physician is guilty of criminal negligence who 
fails to take proper precautions against the possibility 
of blindness from the vicious infections of gonococci. 
Daily applications of a bland solution of protargol, five 
per cent, is a satisfactory preparation used by some 
physicians. Others find a twenty per cent solution of 
peroxide of hydrogen very valuable as a general disin¬ 
fecting agent. But one-half of one per cent of nitrate of 
silver is recognized as being the most satisfactory safe¬ 
guard against eye infection. 

Be the eyes ever so slightly affected, they must be 
given scrupulous and unceasing care. 

HOW TO WASH THE EYES 

In treating the eyes, lay the baby on his side on the 
bed, placing a piece of absorbent cotton over the nose 
[ 59 ] 


How to Raise the Baby 


so that the boracic acid or other solution which is to be 
used may not run from one eye to the other. Always 
wash from the outer angle of the eye inward toward 
the tear duct. 

Now separate the lids, opening the eye as far as pos¬ 
sible, and drop in the solution with the aid of the eye¬ 
dropper, say two or three drops at each treatment, so 
that the fluid may suffuse the entire surface of the eye 
and run out on the absorbent cotton. 

This is a delicate procedure and, remembering the 
sensitiveness of the eye, infinite care must be exercised 
in carrying it out. 

If both eyes are affected, after the first has been 
treated, baby must be turned on his other side and the 
operation repeated. If only one eye is affected, every 
precaution should be taken that nothing that has been 
near it comes in contact with the other eye. Also, it is 
most important that baby, when put to sleep, shall lie 
on the affected side. 

The absorbent cotton and linen scraps should he 
burned after each treatment. Constant care will soon 
effect a cure, and it is fortunately rare for the eyes to 
become infected or reinfected after early infancy. 

If the lids should happen to stick together, rub a little 
vaseline into them each night. This will usually correct 
the trouble within a very short time. 

Let me here urge that the mother carefully wash her 
own hands before attempting to care for baby’s eyes. 

In the case of any trouble with the eyes, it will of 
course be more than ever important that the directions 
previously given for protecting these organs from an 
excess of light should be carefully followed. The light 
[ 60 ] 



Care of Baby’s Special Organs 


must be moderated and must come from behind the head 
of the bed, so as to prevent the rays from falling directly 
upon the child’s face. 

The same care must be used in regard to the rays of 
the electric bulb or gas jet as in the case of sunlight, 
for many hours of infantile restlessness have come from 
eyestrain caused by the glare from some form of arti¬ 
ficial light. It might be well, also, if there is a nurse, 
to insist that she wear subdued colors, for the ordinary 
white uniform of the nurse reflects strongly upon the 
delicate retina of the child’s eyes. 

Also, extremes of color are to be avoided in the 
nursery. To be forced to stare at a white wall or ceil¬ 
ing is hardly less trying to the eyes of a young child 
than the omnipresence of the nurse’s white uniform. 
The intermediary shades of blue and green are milder to 
the tender retina and are a good choice for these por¬ 
tions of baby’s surroundings. Browns and greens are 
very soothing to the eyes and may enter largely into the 
furnishings of the room. 

You should also remember never to hold any object 
near to the baby’s eyes. The muscles and ligaments 
of the eyes readily respond to accommodation of vision. 
Yet the child has not learned to direct his vision at 
proper angles, and it is thus easy to make a child’s eyes 
cross or diverge in their visionary range. Do not cause 
a child to concentrate his gaze upon any object; let 
the eyes wander as they normally will. 

THE CARE OF THE NOSE 

The nasal passages of a healthy baby will rarely re¬ 
quire any unusual attention on the part of the mother. 

[ 61 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


However, it is always well for the mother to assure 
herself that the little nostrils are clear, and in good 
functioning condition. 

A small wisp of cotton rolled tightly and dipped in 
boric-acid solution may be inserted in each nostril and 
turned about a few times, especially in the morning after 
the baby’s bath. It is better to avoid wooden appli¬ 
cators, such as toothpicks. 

If there is any evidence of sores or crusts forming in 
the nostrils, the cotton may be dipped in a little vasel¬ 
ine, and the inner surfaces of the nostrils gently smeared 
with this unguent. This will afford a very great degree 
of relief to the child, and help prevent the formation of 
crusts of dry mucus which may act as a plug to the 
nostrils, and enforce a practice which may later develop 
into the confirmed habit of mouth breathing. 

Sometimes baby’s nose is more or less deformed—by 
the nostrils being too wide, or the end being tipped up, 
as in “snub nose,” etc. In many cases much can be 
done by regular gentle manipulation of the nose by the 
mother or nurse, toward molding a beautiful nose. Care 
must be taken not to irritate the baby nor to give such 
pressure as to injure the delicate cartilaginous struc¬ 
tures. 

HYGIENE OF BABy’s MOUTH 

If baby has the food which Nature has provided for 
him, there is rarely any necessity for especial care of 
the mouth. Yet it is a wise plan, for the first few days, 
or if he is ill, to wipe out the mouth with a piece of linen 
dipped in some boric-acid solution each time that he is 
nursed. This tends to keep the mouth sweet. 

[ 62 ] 



Care of Baby’s Special Organs 


Many baby specialists prefer common salt (chloride 
of sodium) to borax or boracic acid as a mouth disin¬ 
fectant, for the very sound reason that salt is one of 
the main elements of the normal secretions of the mouth. 
A teaspoonful of table salt to a large glass of water will 
prove a splendid mouth wash, with nothing but a be¬ 
nign action on the tissues and secretions of the mouth. 
Again, salt has no action on the fats of the milk, and 
does not promote curdling. In teething, it is very sooth¬ 
ing to the gums. 

Artificial food not infrequently disagrees with the 
child, and there is souring or regurgitating. Special 
directions will be given in a later chapter as to the prep¬ 
aration of such food, care of utensils used in this 
preparation, etc., and if these are closely followed, the 
dangers from its use will be reduced to a minimum. With 
the additional precaution of cleansing the mouth after 
each feeding, there is less chance of it becoming coated, 
and ultimately sore. 

After the little teeth come in, these may be cleansed 
with non-absorbent cotton twisted around a firm tooth¬ 
pick or wooden applicator. This may be dipped in 
boracic-acid solution or, better, in salt solution. Regu¬ 
lar polishers for the teeth can be secured in some lo¬ 
calities and are better than brushes, though the latter 
may be used if the bristles are fairly soft. 

A small amount of lemon juice on a cotton applicator 
is good to remove spots, stains, or tartar from the little 
teeth, but this should be used only at long intervals, 
and may be slightly diluted, as the acid is somewhat 
inclined to injure the delicate enamel of the newly 
formed teeth. 


[ 63 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


don’t let baby be kissed on the mouth 

Mention may be made here of the unfortunate habit 
people have of kissing a baby on the mouth. It is a 
custom that should be strongly condemned. It is 
unsanitary, to say the least, and yet the poor, helpless 
baby has to submit, being unable to make any effectual 
protest. 

Many cases of diphtheria and syphilis and possibly 
other diseases, have been communicated in this way— 
especially to infants in whom the resisting vitality was 
at a low ebb. 

Try to put yourself in your baby’s place, and ask 
yourself if you would permit every chance visitor, pos¬ 
sibly with fetid breath, or rank with the odor of stale 
tobacco—to kiss you on the lips. 

Kiss your baby on the cheek or forehead. And so 
far as strangers are concerned, don’t let them kiss him 
at all. 

If the lips become chapped ever so little from ex¬ 
posure to the sun or air, it is well to apply a little pure 
olive oil to them. Put this on while baby sleeps, as then 
the lips will readily soften. Olive oil should be found 
in every nursery, in preference to other emollients, for 
chafes, chaps, fissures, etc. 

baby’s ears 

The baby’s ears are another part of its little body 
which calls for special mention. A certain amount of 
wax is required by Nature as a safeguard for these 
delicate organs, yet an excessive accumulation of it is 
highly injurious to them. 

[ 64 ] 




Care of Baby’s Special Organs 



Conical cleanser for ear, 
nose, or eye corners. 


However, if proper care is taken of the ears from 
infancy, no trouble need be anticipated in this direction. 
I should advise the use of a piece of soft linen twisted 
in conical, corkscrew fashion, for the purpose of cleans¬ 
ing the ears. This is dipped in the warm suds of the 
bath, squeezed fairly free of water, gently inserted in 
the ear, and turned around a 
few times. Then use a dry 
cone of linen in like manner. 

You will thus keep the ears 
perfectly clean, without the 
slightest danger of doing any 
injury to them. 

The outer ear can of 
course be cared for in the 
usual manner. 

The area surrounding the 
ear is remarkably susceptible to eczema. More than 
four per cent of children under a year old suffer from 
eruptions about the external ears. 

These conditions are frequently due to the alkalis 
in soaps; while, again, the particularly acrid and 
irritating character of the infant’s sweat may be 
responsible. They are very stubborn 
properly treated may spread all 
a rule they defy all local treatment 
lotions. 

The first thing to do, of course, is to remove the 
cause, in so far as is possible, and I have found ivory 
soap much less irritating than most other soaps un¬ 
less castile is chosen, and would recommend its use for 
children’s baths. Dusting about the ears with powdered 
[ 65 ] 


and unless 
over the face. As 
with salves and 


6 



How to Raise the Baby 


chalk or stearate of zinc should be a part of the regular 
routine, as such cases often respond very readily to the 
mild alkalinity of these substances. 

And notwithstanding the theories of most skin spe¬ 
cialists, I strongly advocate long and frequent water 
applications. Two reasons are logically established for 
this treatment. First, by diluting the acid secretion we 
lessen its irritability; and second, the osmotic action of 
the water lessens the congestion and secretion. 

In addition, for the good of the delicate auditory 
nerves and of the general nervous system, which may 
be affected through them, I should like to urge that all 
toys capable of producing hideous noises be forbidden 
in the nursery. For not only do they startle the young¬ 
ster, but they affect the sensitive ear-drum so that it 
cannot be trained to recognize the rhythmic tones of 
the voice. 


BE CAREFUL TO KEEP THE EARS FLAT 

While laying baby on his stomach, as he should be 
laid, and placing one cheek against the pillow, care 
should be taken that the ear on this side is flat against 
the head, and not doubled over. 

It is owing to carelessness in this respect that many 
a boy and girl in later life is distressed by two project¬ 
ing and unsightly appendages, which are suggestive of 
the sails of a ship rather than a pair of ears. 

It takes only a second or two for mother or nurse to 
assure herself that the ear on which the child is lying 
is in the right position, and the result will be well worth 
this small expenditure of time. 

[ 66 ] 



Care of Baby’s Special Organs 


CARE OF THE NAILS 

The little finger and toe nails of baby should be kept 
cut quite close; otherwise he may injure his eyes or skin 
with them, and this may even lead to infection, if the 
nails are not immaculately clean. 

Before trimming the nails, which should be done with 
sharp scissors, the fingers and toes may be bathed a few 
minutes in warm water containing borax. This softens 
the nails and the dirt. Absorbent cotton may be twisted 
about a toothpick and dipped in clean boracic-acid 
solution to use in removing the dirt from beneath the 
nails. 

Be very careful to avoid injuring the flesh beneath 
the nails, as such a wound is very painful and infection 
not infrequently develops in it. Keep the flesh freed 
from the nails at the sides by gentle pressure with cotton 
or soft cloth soaked in warm soap suds or boracic solu¬ 
tion. This prevents the development of hangnails, 
which are painful and sometimes become infected. 

CARE OF baby’s SCALP 

In a preceding chapter I have incidentally mentioned 
the washing of baby’s head as part of his morning’s 
ablutions. However, this sometimes requires special at¬ 
tention. A baby’s scalp should be as free from blemish 
as his little cheeks, but unfortunately this is not always 
the case. 

A yellowish deposit is sometimes seen on a baby’s 
head, the cause generally being a want of sufficient care 
in removing the “vernix caseosa of which I have al¬ 
ready spoken, at the time of its birth. There may also 
[ 67 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


develop a “milk crust,” or large scales of dandruff fused 
together. 

When either of these conditions exists the head should 
be liberally rubbed with oil. This should be permitted to 
remain on for four or five hours. 

Next wash thoroughly with warm water in which 
you have dissolved a teaspoonful of powdered borax. 
It will then be found that the “scurf” has entirely dis¬ 
appeared. 

Of course, if baby’s head is washed daily with the 
same care as is any other part of the body, you need 
have no fear of a reappearance of any annoying and 
unpleasant accumulation. 

However, if there is the slightest neglect, it will prob¬ 
ably return, when the same process must be gone over 
again until it is completely removed. 

Never, under any circumstances, attempt to remove 
the scurf with a comb, or to scrape it off in any way, as 
in doing so there is great danger of injuring the scalp, 
or even destroying the roots of the hair. 

Remember also that I recommend the use of borax 
only for the removal of the deposit. For once baby’s 
head is as clean as it should be, nothing but a little cas- 
tile soap and plenty of warm water is required to keep 
it so. 


USE OF BRUSH AND COMB 

Mothers should be exceedingly careful in the selection 
and use of the brush and comb for baby’s hair. 

For the tender scalp is liable to irritation from bris¬ 
tles that are overly stiff, or a comb that is injudiciously 
used. It would be well to depend, to a very large extent, 
[ 68 ] 



Care of Baby’s Special Organs 


upon the brush exclusively, for a while, for the arrange¬ 
ment of baby’s hair. 

A good way to test the stiffness of the bristles is for 
the mother to use the brush on her own face. This is 
also an excellent way of determining the degree of force 
to be used in brushing the baby’s tender scalp. 

If the comb is used at all, it should be in a very gentle 
manner. It is well to hold it so that it is as nearly 
flat as possible—parallel with the surface of the scalp. 
In other words, do not hold the comb at an angle that 
would be likely to let it “dig in,” even in the event of the 
baby suddenly twisting or turning its head. 

If mother wishes the hair to be curly, she can help 
to bring about the fulfillment of her wish by brushing 
it the “wrong” way. 


[ 69 ] 



CHAPTER VIII 


Internal Cleansing 


“If we have a time for everything, 
And fit each in its place, 

Lives won’t be overcrowded 
And much worry we’ll efface.” 


H AVING given the subject of external cleanliness its 
share of attention in Chapter IV, let us now turn 
to that of internal cleanliness, which is by far the more 
important of the two. 

This cleansing process on Nature’s part is the first 
function to make itself manifest after the call for air 
and food. The initial discharge, known as the meconium , 
is normally of a tar-like color and consistency. 

If baby is fed at regular intervals and not overfed, 
the necessary evacuations can be regulated from earliest 
infancy with almost the same precision as the call for 
nourishment. Watchfulness in this matter is speedily 
rewarded, and after a few months soiled napkins will 
be practically eliminated. 

The best way to train the baby to have these evacu¬ 
ations regularly is to encourage a stool at about the 
same time each day. By the end of the fifth or sixth 
month this training should usually be begun. 

Hold a small chamber between your knees. Then 
hold the baby on this, its back being carefully supported 
the while. Or hold him over his little “chair” for a 
few moments. 

This should be done every morning and afternoon at a 
regular hour, and always after a feeding. 

[ 70 ] 


Internal Cleansing 


At the beginning it may be necessary to insert a 
small cone of oiled paper in the anus, as an intimation to 
the baby of what you both are there for. 

But after a few weeks the infant gets to know just 
what is wanted, and the habit will be established—to 
the mutual benefit of both baby and mother. 

Any tendency toward constipation or over-relaxed 
bowels can be more easily regulated in the nursing child 
through the medium of the mother’s diet than by any 
other means. We shall consider this important question 
somewhat at length in a later chapter. 

The matter of urination is not so easily watched or 
controlled, but with care, after three or four months 
of “training,” a wet baby, or a damp bed, should be the 
exception. Of course much depends upon the food of 
the mother as well as that of the baby. 

CHARACTER OF BABY’S STOOLS 

For the first two or three days the stools will be dark 
and soft. There may be three or four or more stools 
on each of these days, with an average of two or three 
daily for the first week or two. 

After the first few days, if the baby is healthy and 
on a strict milk diet, the stools will be yellow and soft, 
also without lumps. There will be from one to two 
ounces at a movement. 

The mother should observe the character of the stools 
more than the number which occur daily, as this is more 
important. 

Dark brown or almost black stools may result when 
meat or meat-juices are given, also when iron and bis¬ 
muth, or certain prepared foods, are administered; 
[ 71 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 



Training in regular habits commenced in early 
infancy does much to insure the baby’s health and 
the mother’s comfort. 

sometimes, also, from blood, which indicates a more or 
less serious condition. 

The dark stools are, as a rule, somewhat offensive, 
while the light ones are less apt to be so. Frothy, fer¬ 
mented stools are offensive, even if light-colored, and 
indicate indigestion. 


[ 72 ] 






Internal Cleansing 


GIVE BABY PLENTY OF WATER TO DRINK 

Babies are rarely given enough water to drink, the 
supposition being that with liquid food water is not 
necessary. 

Now this is entirely wrong. Baby needs water in 
addition to milk. 

Fluid is constantly thrown off through the skin, kid¬ 
neys, lungs and bowels, so that water in abundance is 
essential. 

It is, therefore, a good plan to give baby a drink at 
bathing time, again when he wakens from his nap in the 
morning, once more after his afternoon sleep, and 
again before he is tucked away for the night. If these 
drinking times are established, just as feeding hours are, 
they are not likely to be overlooked. He can be given 
water from a spoon, though a better plan is to give it 
to him from a baby’s bottle. He can then take all he 
desires. This water can in some cases be slightly sweet¬ 
ened to advantage, preferably with sugar of milk or 
strained honey, though brown sugar may be used. 

WHAT TO DO FOR CONSTIPATION 

Even with care and watchfulness, baby may become 
constipated. Or he may possibly have an inherent ten¬ 
dency in that direction. In this case, do not, I beg you, 
dose him with purgatives, upsetting his stomach and 
entailing general suffering upon him. This method, 
from the first treatment, will aggravate his trouble. 

The very best and usually the safest and most effec¬ 
tive means for quick relief from constipation is to inject 
an ounce or two of water into the rectum with a baby 
syringe, obtainable at any drug store. Inject the water 
[ 73 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 



and lay the baby in his usual position. If results are 
not soon obtained, repeat the injection. 

A very simple remedy for constipation is a tiny sup¬ 
pository of white castile soap, made by cutting a piece 
in a conical shape, not larger in circumference at its 
largest part than a lead-pencil. Laying the baby across 
your knee on his little belly, insert this suppository 
gently in the rectum. 

Moisten the soap well before so doing, 
when it will slip gently past the sphincter 
muscle that guards the rectum. Then, 
Rectal suppos- a ^ ter a ^ ew moments, peristalsis, or ac- 
itory in infant tivity of the bowels, will be excited, and an 
Slze * evacuation will take place. 

Occasionally it may be well to use a glycerine sup¬ 
pository, instead of the soap suppository. This has a 
more rapid and effective action, but the continued use 
of glycerine suppositories may produce an irritable con¬ 
dition of the lower bowel. Therefore they should be 
employed with discrimination. 

Perhaps the safest of all suppositories for continued 
use are the gluten suppositories. One should be inserted 
the first thing in the morning, after baby’s bath. Do 
not expect immediate action from these suppositories, 
as they usually require about two hours to take effect. 

But, of course, the natural way to relieve obstinate 
constipation—no matter what other method may be 
employed as an adjunct or for temporary use—is diet. 

Fruit juices are particularly beneficial—especially 
the juice of ripe oranges. The juice of half an orange 
may be fed with a teaspoon, or each six ounces of baby’s 
drinking water may contain two or three tablespoonfuls 
[ 74 ] 



Internal Cleansing 


of strained orange juice. This is one of the most valu¬ 
able of all constipation remedies. Even more effective, 
in certain cases, is the pulp of raw scraped apples. 

MASSAGE OF THE ABDOMEN IS HELPFUL 

If there be a marked tendency toward constipation, it 
is usually well to knead baby’s bowels for a few minutes 

daily just before he is bathed. 
This will frequently provoke 
a movement of the bowels. 
The abdomen should be 
stroked gently to begin 
with, gradually increasing 
the force of the pressure as 
the child becomes used to it. 

Begin the massage move¬ 
ment proper in the left groin 
(the lower left corner of the 
abdomen), and work upward 
to the ribs, across the abdo¬ 
men, and down on the right 
side to the right groin. The 
massage movement is a series 
of small circles, each com¬ 
pleted without lifting the 
hand from the skin or even 
allowing the hand to slide over the skin; the skin slides 
over the organs and structures beneath. Pressure is 
slightly increased in that phase of each circle when the 
direction is toward the outlet. 

After a few circuits of the abdomen in this manner, 
the reverse motion may be used a few times; that is, be- 
[ 75 ] 



This baby rectal syringe 
is an invaluable nursery 
adjunct and aid in com¬ 
bating acute ailments of 
children. It may be pro¬ 
cured at any drug store. 









How to Raise the Baby 


ginning at the right groin, ascend to the ribs, follow 
along the horizontal part of the intestines, then down 
to the left groin. 

This method is very effective if used for five or six 
minutes, two or three times a day, at regular times. 
Any time may be chosen except right after baby has 
been fed. In this case the kneading is likely to induce 
vomiting, and perhaps considerable pain. 

Should the bowels prove obstinate, a small quantity 
of wai^m olive oil may be injected into the rectum by 
means of the baby syringe, previously referred to. 

As baby gets older, should the trouble persist in spite 
of diet and exercise, an injection of warm water in which 
a little soap has been dissolved is worth trying at times 
for a change; but this will hardly be necessary if proper 
care is taken of the mother’s diet or of baby’s food. 

Of course, daily exercise and kneading of the abdo¬ 
men must be kept up in addition. In any event the early 
establishment of regular habits is of infinite value. 


[ 76 ] 




CHAPTER IX 


General Hygiene of Babyhood 


“Soft as sinews of the new-born babe.” 

BABY, during the first few weeks of life, should 



il have two or three movements of the bowels 
every day. 

After it is a month or more old, it may have only one 
or two free movements a day, although it often has three 
or more. It may urinate as often as once every hour 
or so. 

Therefore it is easy to see that a plentiful supply of 
diapers should be provided, and these should invariably 
be washed before reusing. 

Otherwise “diaper rash,” resulting from the irritation 
of the toxic excretions, will be an almost inevitable re¬ 
sult. 


CARE OF THE GENITALS 


The most scrupulous care should be observed—from 
the very first—to secure cleanliness of and about the 
genitals. For thousands of cases of incontinence of 
urine, masturbation, fits, epilepsy and other serious ner¬ 
vous and physical disorders may originate in irritating 
smegma retained under the foreskin of a male child, or 
under the hooded clitoris of a little baby girl. 

After birth, if the child be a male, and not of ortho¬ 
dox Jewish parentage, expose fully the head of the 
penis, stripping it until the glands at the base are ex¬ 
posed. In the vast majority of cases this can be done 


[ 77 ] 


How to Raise the Baby 


without incision. However, a slight tear of the fore¬ 
skin is of no significance, if the parts are kept scrupu¬ 
lously clean. 

Sometimes the foreskin cannot be drawn forward 
again after being brought back over the glans (head of 
the penis)—a condition called paraphimosis. Try 
pressing the glans with the thumbs, and drawing for¬ 
ward the foreskin (after oiling the parts well) with the 
first and second fingers of both hands. Or the penis 
may be wrapped in lint and gently squeezed in the hand 
until the swelling disappears. Cold applications may 
help. Sometimes the band that constricts will need to 
be divided. 

The glands beneath the base of the foreskin secrete 
an odorous offensive secretion that may cause inconti¬ 
nence of urine, irritability and even convulsions. It is 
not necessary to remove the foreskin, but it is very nec¬ 
essary that this secretion be cleaned away occasionally, 
so that the parts may not be irritated. 

If the clitoris is hooded (bound down by adherent 
tissue), it is necessary, if your little girl is to grow up 
strong and healthy, that the condition be corrected. 

The genitals of a female child should be cleansed 
with absorbent cotton and warm water, in which a 
little boracic acid has been dissolved. 

This should be done at least once or twice a day, in 
order to prevent the infection that often results from 
soiled napkins. 

If there is any discharge, the boracic-acid washes 
should be used two or more times a day, until the condi¬ 
tion is thoroughly cleared up. 

[ 78 ] 




General Hygiene of Babyhood 


MASTURBATION AND ITS PREVENTION 

One very frequent result of genital irritation is the 
habit of masturbation. This consists in producing fric¬ 
tion upon the genital organs with the hands or clothing, 
by rubbing against the bed, or rubbing the thighs to¬ 
gether. Older children often sit on the floor, cross their 
legs tightly, and rock back and forth. 

Many mothers fail to properly interpret this action, 
regarding it simply as a “queer trick.” 

Children may form the habit at any time from one to 
six or seven years. 

Many a chronic nervous condition, said often to de¬ 
velop into insanity, has had its origin in masturbation 
in childhood. 

So watch your child very carefully when he is going 
to sleep, or when he wakes. If you notice any “queer 
actions,” check them at once, and impress upon the 
child the fact that you are decidedly opposed to the 
continuance of the performance. 

URINATION IN HEALTHY CHILDREN 

The urine of a healthy young baby is almost water¬ 
like in its appearance and in its specific gravity, con¬ 
taining, as it does, a very small amount of solids. 

For the first twenty-four hours, as a rule, no urine is 
passed. This need occasion no anxiety, unless the baby 
seems distressed. 

Just how frequently the urine is voided by the young 
child is a very difficult matter to state. It varies greatly 
with different children and depends somewhat upon 
the temperature of the air, the amount and nature of 

[ 79 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


nourish m ent 
taken, and the 
degree of individ¬ 
ual nervous ex¬ 
citability. 

The average 
number of evacu¬ 
ations is prob¬ 
ably from six to 
ten a day. At 
times, however, 
there may not be 
a discharge of 
urine for from 
eight to ten 
hours, and still 
the child may 
remain in perfect 
health, while at 
other times the bladder may empty its contents every 
hour or so. 

As the child grows older, and control of the bladder 
is established to a somewhat greater extent, the fre¬ 
quency of urination decreases to half a dozen times a 
day or thereabouts. 

The amount of urine varies with the age of the child 
and with its weight, as well as with the condition of 
nutrition and of the weather—for the greater the 
amount of perspiration (regulated by climatic condi¬ 
tions), the less fluid passes through the kidneys and 
bladder. The amount passed should approximate some¬ 
what as follows: 



The square diaper fits like panties and 
does away with the bulkiness which 
may encourage a tendency to bow-legs. 


[ 80 ] 






General Hygiene of Babyhood 


From birth to two years, 8 to 12 ounces daily. 

From the second to the fifth year, from 15 to 25 
ounces daily. 

From the fifth to the tenth year, from 22 to 33 
ounces daily. 

From the tenth to the fifteenth year, from 33 to 40 
ounces daily. 

And in adult life, 52 ounces daily. 


DIAPERS AND PROPER DIAPERING 

Diapers should be supplied in sufficient numbers to 
insure a continual supply of fresh ones, for as soon as a 
napkin is soiled it should be removed, the baby’s body 
cleansed, and a clean diaper adjusted. 

When the napkin is removed, the hips and the anal 
and genital regions should be gently bathed with a soft 
cloth and warm water containing boracic acid, and then 
dried with a soft cloth. If small triangular pieces of 
soft cloth, or diapers of cheese-cloth, are placed under 



Adjusting a 
corner way. 



instead of between them. 


[ 81 ] 


7 












How to Raise the Baby 


the regular diapers, these will save the latter to a con¬ 
siderable extent, as well as the outer clothing. 

As stated earlier, the use of diapers of too heavy a 
material will have a tendency to make baby bow-legged, 
because of the heavy roll between its legs. So make 
these articles from fairly light-weight material. 

If safety-pins are used in adjusting the diapers, one 
may be enough. After the ends have been brought to¬ 
gether about the body, they may be temporarily pinned. 
The other angle is then brought up between the legs, 
smoothly adjusted, and pinned to the waist part, after 
removing the first pin. Or the first pin may be left in. 
Some advise a pin above each knee, in order to save the 
outer garments from soiling. But this has a tendency 
to interfere with the child’s movements. 

Perhaps the best means of securing the diapers is an 
extremely thin button or two, covered with linen, with 
buttonholes to match. 

Soiled diapers should receive a temporary wash im¬ 
mediately upon their removal, then they should soak 
until the final wash, which should be in hot suds. They 
should then be boiled several minutes and thoroughly 
rinsed, without blueing. It goes without saying that 
no starch should be used. They should be thoroughly 
dried in the sun, and before they are brought into 
contact with the baby’s tender flesh they should be 
warmed. 


WATERPROOF DIAPERS 

Waterproof diapers are a great help to baby’s 
mother for a short emergency, as for instance, a ride in 
a street-car or a little shopping tour of half an hour 
[ 82 ] 



Genekal Hygiene of Babyhood 


or more. But they should not fit so snugly as to com¬ 
pletely exclude the air. 

THE FONTANELLES 

The bones of a healthy baby’s head, as every one 
knows, do not form a solid skull at the time of birth. 
Instead, they are separated, sometimes to an extent that 
would enable one to put the tip of the little finger down 
between the “sutures,” as they are called. 

The contour of the baby’s head, when looked at from 
above, should be round or oval. Just behind the fore¬ 
head is one area, and 
slightly back of this is 
another, in which no bone 
is present. Only a thin 
membrane and the scalp 
itself cover the brain, 
which can be seen to pul¬ 
sate through these mem¬ 
branes. These soft spots 
are called, respectively, 
the anterior and posterior 
fontanelles. 

The one just back of 
Anterior and Posterior Fon- the forehead (the ante- 
tanelles. rior fontanelle) is the 

larger of the two, and is the only one which needs occa¬ 
sional attention on the part of the mother. It is some¬ 
what irregularly diamond-shaped, and its diameter 

immediately after birth is, normally, from one-half to 

one inch, or perhaps even more. 

In normal infants, it should not be greatly depressed, 

[ 83 ] 






How to Raise the Baby 


nor should it bulge; either of these conditions might sig¬ 
nify some abnormal state of the brain itself,* due either 
to lack of development, or to congestion, or to the pres¬ 
ence of a small amount of watery fluid, as in a mild type 
of hydrocephalus. Depression may indicate diarrhea, 
or lack of sufficient nourishment. 

These sutures should ordinarily be completely closed 
by the end of the eighteenth month. Sometimes they 
close as early as the fourteenth month. But they should 
never be open after the lapse of two years. If they fail 
to close by this time, it may be due to a deficiency of 
bone-forming elements in the diet—as in rickets and 
similar conditions. 

During the first two years of the baby’s life care must 
be taken that no pressure is exerted on or over the fon- 
tanelles, as by bonnets, or folds in pillows, or by the 
hands in holding the child. Such pressure might cause 
serious brain trouble. 

HOW TO HOLD THE BABY 

When taken up, the baby should always be supported 
both as to his spine and his head. The mother or the 
nurse should never permit either the back or the head 
to be without the support of her hand or arm, at least 
until after the fourth month. After this time the baby 
can usually hold up its head unaided, provided the body 
is supported in a sitting position. 

It is easy enough to support the main weight and 
bulk of the baby’s body on the open palm and extended 
fingers of one hand, while adjusting the forearm of the 
same arm to support the little head. The other hand 
may be employed in supporting the feet. 

[ 84 ] 



General Hygiene of Babyhood 


In holding the little one while one is sitting, it is 
usually better to let him lie face downward across the 
lap, but without allowing his back to sway downward. 
But he may lie on his back some of the time, if care is 
taken not to leave his head unsupported. 

When being dressed the baby should, until old enough 
to sit up alone, lie on the lap, and the clothing should 
be drawn up over the feet, instead of being slipped over 
the head. 

It is a good plan to have the apron or skirt of mother 
or nurse drawn fairly tight across the knees, so as to 
leave no large open space between the thighs into which 
the little body will sag. 

Some mothers are constantly taking their babies up 
in their arms, holding the little heads against their 
shoulders or cheeks. If the mother “just must” feel the 
velvet skin of her baby, or the little body in her arms, 
let her gratify her instinct by bending over the child 
while he is on her knees, or better, in his crib, rather 
than by lifting him into the upright position. Babies 
don’t need to be cuddled, and should not be; and it is 
best to keep them from the upright position as much as 
possible. 

For the first three months of the baby’s life he should 
never be lifted except by both hands beneath the body, 
just about in the manner described for supporting him 
in the arms. Some time after this age he may be lifted 
by placing the thumbs across the chest, the palms in the 
armpits, and the fingers well around to the back, giving 
equal pressure at all points. 

If he is lying face downward, he may be lifted by the 
same method (reversing the location of thumbs and fin- 
[85] 




Improper way of holding young baby. Never let head and 

spine sag. 


[ 86 ] 







Proper way to support head and body of a young baby. 


[ 87 ] 












How to Raise the Baby 


gers, of course), or he may be turned over on his back 
before being lifted. 

For the first several months there should not be much 
traction upon the shoulders, but if the child is very rug¬ 
ged, he may, after three months or more, be grasped 
carefully by the arms in lifting. 

THE FALLACY OF VACCINATION 

There is one grievous mistake that hundreds of thou¬ 
sands of mothers in this country are making every year, 
and that is to have their babies and small children vac¬ 
cinated, with the idea that through some mysterious 
force, the little ones will be protected from smallpox. 

Compulsory vaccination is one of the blackest out¬ 
rages that has ever been perpetrated upon a gullible 
public by a self-deceived medical profession. For statis¬ 
tics and the experience of many of the greatest sci¬ 
entists have established, beyond the shadow of a doubt, 
that vaccination has nothing whatever to do with the 
suppression of smallpox, and that certain countries in 
which it is universally practiced—as in Japan and in 
the Philippines—lose thousands upon thousands of their 
population every year by this disease. 

Smallpox is a filth disease. Improved sanitation is 
stamping it out in every civilized country in the world. 
And soon it will be quite as unknown among us as are 
the plague, cholera, typhus and elephantiasis. 

One sure way to build up the vital resistance and 
overcome the tendency to contract smallpox, or any 
other contagious or infectious disease, is to train the 
child to have regular daily movements of the bowels, 
[ 88 ] 



General Hygiene of Babyhood 


and to be sure that his diet is well balanced, adequate, 
but not o^er-abundant. 


WHY BABIES CRY 


A baby’s cry is full of significance. The first cry 
after birth is considered a very important event, and is 
listened for anxiously as a sign that all is well. Later 
on it is too often treated as a thing of no consequence. 
Yet it is just as important then as it is at the beginning. 
The first cry announces that the child has arrived 
safely, and his subsequent well-being depends to a large 
extent on the same cry, which is his only means of mak¬ 
ing his wants known. It should never be regarded as a 
thing of no importance, and should always be responded 
to at once. 



Within certain limits the cry¬ 
ing of babies may be regarded 
as constructive exercise, in¬ 
tended by Nature for the spe¬ 
cific purpose of developing lung 


The carriage or per¬ 
ambulator — baby’s 
resting place during 
his daily excursions 
— is obtainable in 
different designs. 
The primary consid¬ 
eration is that the 
arrangement of bed¬ 
ding and hood shall 
be such as to keep 
baby perfectly com¬ 
fortable. 








How to Raise the Baby 


capacity. Within 
reasonable limits it 
is an indication of 
health and vitality. 

Healthy children, 
however, do not 
cry for any pro¬ 
tracted period un¬ 
less there is some 
definite exciting 
cause, such as the 
irritation of a soiled 
diaper. 

When the cry of 
a child is abnormal, 
it is usually charac¬ 
teristic of the exciting cause, and it is, therefore, impor¬ 
tant that the mother should be able to interpret these 
signals. 

A sudden scream is usually associated with a sharp 
cramp, and may be due to colic, or to some stomach 
or abdominal distress. The cry of colic, however, is 
usually begun by a series of rapid breaths like forced 
coughing, ending in the sudden scream. Because of the 
intensity of this cry, and its suddenness, it may cause 
rupture. 

Paroxysmal crying , acute in its nature, and then 
abruptly ceasing for a time, is usually due to colic. If 
the belly is distended and the belly wall rigid, and if the 
limbs are drawn up spasmodically in the manner char¬ 
acteristic of abdominal distress in infants, one may as¬ 
sume that this is the cause. Crying during the move- 
[90] 



Type of go-cart or stroller for the 
young child. 




General Hygiene of Babyhood 


merits of the bowels shows, naturally, that the child is 
suffering pain at this time, and the symptom calls for 
investigation. There may be severe constipation, or an 
inflammation in the bowels or rectum. 

The low moan usually indicates a developing infection, 
associated with more or less weakness and a progressing 
debility. If the temperature is low and the fontanelles 
sunken in, one is justified in making this diagnosis. In 
these conditions the baby may not have strength even 
for a feeble moan. It may often twist its face into posi¬ 
tion for crying, and yet no sound may issue from its 
lips. This latter form of cry is also noticed in many 
conditions of inflammation involving the vocal organs, 
although sometimes in these cases the cry may be of a 
hoarse or croupy nature. 

The puny and peevish cry is usually due to the irri¬ 
tation of tooth-cutting, although it may be a manifesta¬ 
tion of some form of nervousness, which could possibly 
be more correctly ascribed to toxic infection. 

The restless , angry cry is most frequently caused by 
hunger or thirst. This cry is usually not quieted until 
the exciting cause is removed. The cry of anger is 
usually accompanied by twisting about, kicking of the 
feet and various other manifestations. 

No cry is quite so unappeasable as that caused by 
earache. Accompanying this cry is the restless tossing 
of the head from side to side, and other symptoms point¬ 
ing directly to pain. The eyes are usually closed, and 
the face takes on an expression of terrible anguish. 
Touching of the head in the region of the ear brings 
forth a fresh or louder outburst, as does swallowing by 
the baby. Sharp pain in the joints brings out the same 
[91] 



How to Raise the Baby 


cry, and movement of affected joints excites more cry¬ 
ing. 

Persistent crying may often be due to such causes as, 
for instance, the pricking of a pin, or the improper bind¬ 
ing of the band, producing a wrinkle in the flannel, 
which, after long pressure, becomes a decided cause of 
irritation. 

In disease caused by difficulty in securing sufficient 
air, the cry is necessarily very short and weak in char¬ 
acter, for the simple reason that the respiratory pas¬ 
sages being affected by the inflammatory process, the 
child is not able to secure the amount of air necessary 
to produce a full cry. 

In laryngitis the cry is hoarse , and usually intermit¬ 
tent. 

If the tonsils are inflamed, or if there are adenoids, 
the child may make repeated attempts to nurse, but 
give up each time with a cry of disappointment . 

Children of from two to six years who awake at night 
screaming violently are probably suffering from night¬ 
mares, or distressing dreams. They should be reassured, 
probably given a drink, and sent to sleep again. The 
affair should not be recalled to the attention the next 
morning. And observe the diet or time of the last meal 
of the day to avoid the trouble in the future. 

If the baby is crying, but stops immediately when he 
gets what he wants, to begin again as soon as the thing 
is taken from him, the mother can be assured that the 
baby has begun to develop a habit that will annoy her 
much in days to come if she yields to it—the cry of the 
pampered, spoiled baby. 

Before leaving this subject it may be interesting to 

[92] 



General Hygiene of Babyhood 


note the rather curious fact that the young infant sheds 
no tears, no matter how violently it may cry. The func¬ 
tion of the lachrymal glands is not established until 
somewhat later in life. 


PROTECT YOUR CHILI) FROM EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE 



The tolerance of newly born children to extremes of 
cold and heat is 
very slight. 

Their proneness 
to congestive 
pneumonias and 
bronchial affec¬ 
tions proves this 
fact. 

The exposure 
of young chil¬ 
dren to extreme 
cold is danger- 
ous, unless 
great care is 
taken to keep 
them warm. If 
this can be done, 
however, they 
can take their 
airings, and 
even sleep in the 
open winter air 
not only with¬ 
out harm but 
with benefit. A 


;aoy cunung. A warm and comfy gar¬ 
ment for outdoors and cold weather. 


Baby Bunting. 


[ 93 ] 





How to Raise the Baby 


source of great comfort to the baby in fcold weather, 
whether he is taking his airing, or sleeping in a cool 
room, is a hot-water bottle tucked in alongside of him. 

While fresh air is indispensable, care should be taken 
that all the air currents are indirect and do not develop 
into drafts. 

Extreme heat must be guarded against with the same 
vigilance as extreme cold. In hot spells marked benefit is 
obtained from the long, cool bath, or cool, wet pack. Never 
give the cold plunge, for under the influence of the cold, 
the blood is driven from the skin to the internal parts and 
a chill will probably result; whereas the cool bath or 
pack, if prolonged till Nature reacts, drives the blood to 
the skin to overcome the temporary chilling effect. 

PETS A DANGER TO INFANTS 

Dogs and cats should be excluded from the nursery, 
not only because of the possibility of their carrying dis¬ 
ease, but also because the odor of animals often has a 
decidedly depressive effect upon young children. Physi¬ 
cians say that marked anemia has resulted from the loss 
of appetite and general lowering of resistance due to 
nothing more than a “ratty” odor about the house. This 
seems doubtful, but the very young are peculiarly sus¬ 
ceptible to depressing influences. 

Disease germs are usually present in dust. We 
should therefore avoid dust-carrying pets just as we 
avoid dust-catching furniture, etc., and choose a hard¬ 
wood floor that can be scrubbed instead of the less 
sanitary Turkish rug. 

Scrupulous care should also be taken to exclude all 
insects from rooms occupied by children, whether they 
[94]' 



General Hygiene of Babyhood 


are of a parasitic nature or not. Some physicians claim 
that a child can be deprived of fair chances of health by 
the bite of a mosquito bearing malarial germs. This is 
doubtless an exaggeration, but this blood-depleting dis¬ 
ease is so well worth avoiding that we should take no 
chances with the mosquito. Bedbugs are also capable of 
carrying the germs of disease, it is claimed. 

Insects that are guiltless of carrying disease germs 
are to be guarded against for another reason. They 
may get into the ears and nose of a small child and cause 
great suffering and fright—even hysteria and convul¬ 
sions. 

THE TRIBUTE EXACTED BY IGNORANCE 

The mortality record previous to puberty would, in 
this country, probably range from 12 per cent to 40 
per cent, depending entirely upon the communities in 
which the statistics had been collected. Perhaps 90 
per cent to 95 per cent of these deaths are avoidable. 

We are killing many times more babies and children 
yearly in this country than the number of lives lost in 
the U. S. Army during the recent war. Billions of dol¬ 
lars were expended to sustain and save life in this 
war. How much are we spending to save the lives of 
these little ones? Every parent is responsible for the 
lives of the children in his care. Has he or she the 
necessary knowledge to assume this responsibility? Has 
he or she made any attempt to acquire this knowledge? 
If not, then to what extent is his or her ignorance to 
be condemned as criminal? 

This is a serious thought, on a tremendously vital 
matter. I leave it to your own heart and mind as to 
how you will answer it. 


[ 95 ] 



CHAPTER X 


The Crime of Soothing Syrups 

“And be these drugging fiends no more believed 
That keep the word of promise to our ear, 

And break it to our hope!” 

T HERE is little or no excuse for the death of a baby. 

A child with sufficient vitality to survive the ordeal 
of birth should possess enough vigor to go on to 
maturity. 

Yet during the War it was estimated that the life of 
a soldier in the trenches was safer than that of a baby 
in its cradle. The little creatures fall victims by the 
thousands to the ignorance and sometimes the criminal 
neglect of mothers, the incompetence of physicians, and 
the general indifference and neglect of a social body 
which cares more, apparently, for safeguarding the 
health of baby pigs and cows than for the welfare of 
human infants. 

Of all the crimes that are committed against baby¬ 
hood one of the most flagrant is the drugging of the 
little ones by means of the various hell-broths known as 
“teas,” “soothing syrups” and the like. 

The most charitable thing that can be said of a woman 
who will pour one of these decoctions down the throat of 
her helpless infant is that she is sinning through igno¬ 
rance. None the less is she committing a terrible crime, 
and none the less will Nature exact the penalty of her 
wrong-doing, possibly from herself, but certainly, alas! 
from her tiny victim. 


[ 96 ] 









SUMMARY TABLE OF 1 


Name 

Period op 
Incuba¬ 
tion 

Stage of 
Invasion 

Time of I 

Appearance 1 
OP 

Eruption 

Character op 
Eruption 

Duration 

of 

Eruption 

Location 

Desqui 

tion 

Cerebro¬ 

spinal 

meningitis 

Unknown 

Sudden 

Second to 
ourth day 

“Cold sores” on 
lips; small 
hemorrhages in 
skin; dusky 
redness. 


“Cold sores” 
on lips; 
other spots 
over entire 
body 


Chicken-pox 

3 to 

14 days 

Sudden 

First day 

Vesicles 
appearing 
in crops 

5 to 8 
days 

Back, chest, 
arms 

Crusts 

5 to 8 
days 

Erysipelas 

Few hours 
to 4 days 

1 to 3 

days 

During first 
day 

Shiny, 
blight red; 
well-defined 
elevated edges 

4 to 8 
days 

Face 

Branny 
or large 
flakes 

German 

measles 

8 to 16 

days 

1 to 2 

days 

Before end 
of second day 

Small, round, 
isolated, rose- 
red spots 

3 days 

Face and 
scalp first, 
then down 
over body 

Small 

branny 

Measles 

9 to 12 
days 

4 days 

Fourth day 

Small red 
pimples, borders 
crescent-shaped; 
fully formed in 
24 hours 

4 to 5 
days 

Face first, 
then down 
over body 

Branny 

in 

8 to 11 

days 

Scarlet 

fever 

1 to 21 
days 

1 to 2 
days 

Before end of 
first day 

Diffuse, 

scarlet, 

punctate 

7 to 10 
days 

Neck, chest, 
face, then 
down over 
body 

Scales o 
flakes in 
one weal 

Smallpox 

7 to 14 
days 

24 to 48 
hours 

Second to 
fourth day 

Pus pimples 
with depressed 
tops 

21 to 25 
days 

Face and 
over body 

Crusts 

12 to 2 
days 

Typhoid 

fever 

5 to 31 
days 

6th to 

8th day 

Seventh or 
eighth day 

Rose-colored, 
lens-shapeef 
spots, ap¬ 
pearing in 
crops 

Eacli crop lasts 
3 to 5 days, and 
they appear 
throughout 
the fever, 

10-20 days 

Abdomen, 
chest and 
back 

None, 
or smal 
branny 

Vaccinia 

(Vaccina¬ 

tion) 

1 to 2 
days 


Third or fourth 
day after 
vaccination 

A red papule 
that becomes 
a blister, then 
a pustule. It 
is surrounded 
by a broad red 
area 

10 to 12 days 
until scab be¬ 
gins to dry; 
scab should dis¬ 
appear by 21st 
day 

At point of 
vaccination 

Scab 

— 



















































































E ERUPTIVE FEVERS 


Duration 

of 

Disease 

Convales¬ 

cence 

Fore-warning 
Symptoms 
(Prodromes) 

Main Symptoms 
in 

Typical Cases 

Complications 

and 

Sequels 

Quarantine 
Lasts, from 
Onset 

Variable; 
many after¬ 
results 

Lysis 

(slowly) 

Loss of appetite, 
malaise, pain in 
neck, head and 
down spine, slight 
fever, chill and 
convulsions 

Delirium, stupor, 
paralysis of eye 
muscles, bending of 
back, rigidity and 
spasms of 
extremities 

Pneumonia, 

endocarditis, 

paralysis, 

deafness, 

arthritis, 

mental 

impairment 

Not 

quarantined 

2 weeks 

Lysis 

No prodromes 

Mild weakness and 
general symptoms 

Rare 

2 to 3 
weeks 

1 to 3 

weeks 

Crisis 

(sudden end 
to disease) 

Chills, malaise, 
headache, slight 
fever 

Sharply defined, 
elevated redness 
on bridge of nose 
and cheeks, “butter- 
fly”-shaped blister 
formation. 

Abscesses 

and 

gangrene 

(rarely) 

Not 

quarantined 

4 to 7 

weeks 

1 

Crisis 

Slight chills, 
severe backache, 
headache and 
malaise 

Inflammation of 
mucous membrane of 
mouth, nose, fauces, 
conjunctiva; enlarge¬ 
ment of glands of 
the neck 

None 

or 

rare 

2 weeks 

i2 weeks 

1 

i 

Crisis 

Running nose, 
tears, pain in 
eyes in light, 
sleepiness, 
irritability, 
cough 

Fever 100 to 104, 
crescentic patches on 
red base, Koplik 
spots on inner sur¬ 
face of cheeks and 
lips 

Broncho¬ 
pneumonia, 
laryngitis, 
tuberculosis, 
inflammation 
of bowels. 

3 weeks 

2 to 3 
weeks 

Lysis 

Sudden vomiting, 
biliousness, 
headache and sore 
throat 

Same, plus loss of 
appetite, prostration, 
delirium, convulsions, 
“strawberry tongue,” 
sleepiness, restless¬ 
ness, diarrhea, 
albumen in urine, 
constipation. 

Nephritis, 
ulceration of 
pharynx, pus in 
middle ear, cer¬ 
vical adenitis, 
heart affections, 
chorea, 

ophthalmia, joint 
affections 

6 weeks 

— 

4 to 5 
weeks 

Lysis 

Chill, intense 
headaches, lumbar 
pains, nausea and 
vomiting 

Fever 103-104, 
falls and rises 

Broncho¬ 
pneumonia, 
laryngitis, 
pleurisy, 
iritis and other 
eye troubles 

4 to 8 
weeks 

3 to 4 
weeks 

Lysis 

Headaches, lassi¬ 
tude, chilliness, 
backache, constipa¬ 
tion, nosebleed, 
nausea 

Stupor, delirium, 
abdominal disturb¬ 
ances and nervous 
symptoms 

Perforation of 
intestines, 
pneumonia, bed 
sores, heart 
and kidney 
affections 

For 

duration 

of 

disease 

About 
i3 weeks 

Lysis 


Other symptoms 
are a fever and 
malaise 

May be serious 
infection of 
arm and of 
entire blood 
stream 

None 

-—-— ■ 



































































































































































































































* 













































{ 




















li 



























The Crime of Soothing Syrups 


THE CARELESS MOTHER 

But not even the questionable excuse of ignorance can 
be pleaded in the case of thousands of women who dis¬ 
grace the name of mother. These women, lacking the 
love, patience, and wisdom of the true parent, will 
“quiet” baby at any cost. 

The peevishness of the child may be the outcome of 
uncomfortable clothing, improper food, underfeeding or 
overfeeding, want of exercise, need of fresh air and sun¬ 
shine, or neglect in general. But to such conditions the 
mother of the type in question gives little or no thought. 

Usually of the fairly well-educated middle class, she 
lives for the bargain counter, the matinee and the 
“movie” theatre. Her home is incidental to, rather than 
the pivotal point in, her life. And her shallowness and 
selfishness prompt her to dislike its duties and detest its 
encumbrances, including the “squalling brat.” 

So when the wail of the unhappy child annoys her, 
she does not seek to remove the cause of its unhappi¬ 
ness. Instead there is a visit to the cupboard, the pro¬ 
duction of a bottle, the prying open of a small, feverish 
mouth, and the baby sinks into an uneasy, drug-induced 
slumber. There are even mothers who do this with a 
clear consciousness of the fact that they are “doping” 
their children. 

BECAUSE GRANDMOTHER USED TO DO IT 

There is a third species of drug-administering mother 
who will reply to your remonstrances by asserting that 
“mother always used that ‘tea’ for her babies,” or 
“grandmother raised all her children” on some other 
ungodly brew. In such instances you will invariably 

[ 97 ] 


8 



How to Raise the Baby 


find that the family so “raised” can, as the doctors say, 
demonstrate a variety of nervous diseases, chronic dys¬ 
pepsia, crankiness and other tokens of unbalanced 
organisms. 

All this is lost on the thoughtless mother, however, 
whose undeveloped brain only permits her to do that 
which her predecessors did. Which is also the way of 
sheep, you will remember. These drug-administering 
mothers are numbered by thousands. 

Dr. Wilbur Hale, who for a long period was the head 
of one of London’s famous hospitals for children, and 
who had an international reputation as an expert on 
infant maladies, was once asked to state the dominant 
impression that he had received from his years of prac¬ 
tice. His reply was: 

“The everlasting stupidity of the average mother.” 

This was a severe and perhaps too sweeping gener¬ 
alization, but it must be remembered that Dr. Hale was 
constantly in touch with the tiny victims of parental 
blunders or worse. 

EITHER STUPID OR WICKED 

Still, it goes without saying that the mother who will 
tamper with the exquisitely delicate and fragile machin¬ 
ery of her baby’s system by clogging it with narcotic 
poisons of any kind is crassly stupid, if indeed she be 
not fiendishly wicked. 

Every year millions of bottles of the stuff that is sup¬ 
posed to bring about “natural refreshing sleep” are sold, 
and thus the bodies and brains of more than a million of 
babies are irretrievably injured. 

It is a deliberate lie to say that “natural, refreshing 

[ 98 ] 



The Crime of Soothing Syrups 


sleep” can ever be brought about by a narcotic, for no 
drug ever did or ever can achieve this result. 

The active element in most syrups is laudanum, a 
form of opium, the flavor being disguised by essences 
scarcely less harmful, and the whole “digested” in a 
heavy sugar solution. Pleasant stuff truly to put into 
a baby’s stomach—an organ that is intended to receive, 
and adjusted to digest, but one thing—its mother’s 
milk. 

Some years ago, a wholesale and systematized series 
of child murders was unearthed in Paris. For a con¬ 
sideration of a few francs an unwelcome baby could be 
sent to a maison des enfants kept by a couple of old 
women. In due season the child would die. When the 
police raided the place, some cases of “soothing syrup” 
were among the things seized. One of the hags who 
confessed said that it was administered to the little vic¬ 
tims because it was safe, sure, and could be bought any¬ 
where ! 

Paregoric is another opium-laden drug that is very 
dangerous indeed. In this connection it is proper to call 
attention to the fact that many a woman who lifts up 
eyes and hands in righteous horror at tales of Chinese 
opium dens and their degraded inmates will, neverthe¬ 
less, administer opium to her baby, for paregoric is 
opium. And there is ample medical testimony to prove 
that a large proportion of the “dope” fiends of our own 
race are what they are because of the love of the drug 
implanted in them in infancy by their mothers. Can 
anything be more terrible than this? 

Well might some of our babies lisp, “From such 
mothers, good Lord, deliver us !” 

[ 99 ] 



CHAPTER XI 


Nursing the Baby 

It’s when the birds go piping 
And the daylight slowly breaks, 

That clamoring for his dinner, our 
Precious Baby wakes; 

Then it’s sleep no more for Baby, and 
It’s sleep no more for me, 

For when he wants his dinner, why. 

It’s dinner it must be. 

—Eugene Field. 

I T is a fact much to be deplored that there are 
mothers who refuse to suckle their offspring, even 
when capable of doing so. One cannot but feel that 
there is something radically wrong with women of this 
type; for it is only when fed from the fount which 
Nature supplies that a baby receives the nourishment 
suited to each and all of his needs. 

In order to safeguard the infant’s natural and best 
food supply, the care of the mother’s breasts must be 
commenced at an early period of pregnancy. Upon 
this care may depend the possibility of nursing the 
child. 

All pressure of clothing upon the breasts, should, of 
course, be avoided, so as to permit them the fullest 
opportunity to expand properly. They should, how¬ 
ever, be warmly covered, and if increasing size should 
render their weight uncomfortable, they may be sup¬ 
ported by a brassiere. 

Scrupulous attention should be given to the nipples, 
in order that they may develop into such shape that the 

[ 100 ] 


Nursing the Baby 


child can readily grasp them, and also to make them 
firm and secure against the development of painful 
cracks or fissures, which might necessitate an early 
weaning of the child. 

Occasionally there is a tendency to form scales on the 
nipples. These should be washed away frequently, if 
they show any disposition to adhere. 

When the nipples are flat, one can assist their devel¬ 
opment by massaging them daily, and by gently pulling 
them out from the breast with the fingers. 

Many authorities recommend a breast-pump for ac¬ 
complishing this end, but such instruments are likely to 
be too powerful, and may cause injury. I have re¬ 
ceived innumerable reports of such a result. 

Massage with the finger tips and traction with the 
finger and thumb, can always be regulated, whereas the 
force applied through a breast-pump is not likely to be 
so correctly gauged. If the pump is employed no 
treatment should ever be undertaken until the last month 
of pregnancy; otherwise a miscarriage is likely to be 
produced, owing to the excitement of uterine contrac¬ 
tions by the irritation of the nipple. 

An adequate nipple-protector, worn during the day, 
contributes to the proper development of these parts, 
and is also a safeguard against irritation. Such a 
shield should also be worn during the nursing period. 
Many forms of shields are used for the purpose, and 
may be procured from any druggist. 

In spite of all the efforts of the mother to fit her 
nipples for nursing, however, their shape may be such 
that the baby can obtain no satisfactory hold upon 
[ 101 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


them. In this event, it will be found necessary to use an 
artificial nipple. There are many varieties of these nip¬ 
ples, one of the best consisting of a glass base, upon 
which is fitted a detachable rubber teat. 

This nipple should be very carefully boiled and 
cleaned after every feeding, so as to free it from pos¬ 
sible danger of contamination. 

A device of this nature may frequently prove satis¬ 
factory, and its use should be attempted before bottle 
feeding is resorted to, if it is evident that the breasts 
are secreting milk. Very frequently, however, badly de¬ 
veloped nipples may make nursing impossible. 

TO PREVENT SORENESS OF THE NIPPLES 

In order to keep the nipples in the best possible con¬ 
dition, regular times for nursing should be observed. 
Afterward the nipples should be thoroughly dried with a 
soft cloth, and then, for the first week or two, anointed 
gently with a little olive oil. 

If previous experience shows a tendency of the breasts 
to become fissured and sore during nursing, the mother 
may bathe the nipples in tepid salt water daily during 
the last month of pregnancy. Equal parts of glycerite 
of tannic acid and water also makes a safe preparation 
to use for this purpose. 

CAKED BREAST 

Not infrequently the supply of milk is so excessive 
that the glands cannot contain it all. In this event, 
the accumulation of milk tends to cause a distension 
of the breast, with hardening of the retained milk, form¬ 
ing what is known as “caked breast,” or “milk cake.” 

[ 102 ] 




Nursing the Baby 


This should be relieved immediately; otherwise there 
is danger of the breaking down of this material, and the 
formation of an abscess in the breast. 

To prevent or relieve 
this caking, it is neces¬ 
sary that the breast 
should be gently rubbed 
for several minutes at a 
time, three or four times 
daily, with warm olive oil. 
Commence at the base of 
the breast and gradually 
work in toward the nip¬ 
ple, with light pressure. 

Occasionally, the ap¬ 
plication of the breast- 
pump, to supplement the 
suckling of the child, 
might be advisable. Or 
the mother might donate 
this extra supply of milk 
to the child of some mother in the neighborhood whose 
supply is inadequate. 

HOW NATURE REGULATES BABy’s MILK SUPPLY 

If the mother has an abundance of milk, one breast 
is usually sufficient for one nursing. This the baby 
usually empties in ten or fifteen minutes, after which it 
falls asleep and should be placed in its crib. The 
other breast may be reserved for the next nursing. 

The average healthy mother secretes during the first 
weeks of the baby’s life approximately one pint of milk 
[ 103 ] 









How to Raise the Baby 


within twenty-four hours. This amount is subsequently 
increased as the nutritional needs of the child become 
greater. At first, as a general rule, the mother has 
more milk than the baby can digest. 

But Nature provides against the dangers of overfeed¬ 
ing, in this event, by simply causing the stomach to 
regurgitate, or vomit, the over supply, which is ejected 
with little or no difficulty. This regurgitation is not 
true vomiting, such as is seen in older children. It is a 
simple regurgitation without “sickness of the stomach,” 
and need occasion no anxiety, provided that the milk 
ejected has no sour smell, and the baby’s health seems 
otherwise good. 

However, the trouble should not be permitted to go 
uncorrected. Provision should be made for shortening 
the period of nursing, and for removing the baby from 
the breast before he gets too much. 

The growth of the child is an index to its nutritional 
progress. If the baby is growing at the proper rate, we 
can be sure that it is getting sufficient nutriment. If 
the contrary, it will be well to seek the cause of the 
trouble by an examination of the quality of the moth¬ 
er’s milk as regards its total quantity of fat, and other 
nutrient material. 

The table devised by Dr. Holt, containing an ap¬ 
proximate analysis of breast milk, is accepted as an 
average indication of the nutritional content of this 
substance. According to this table, the specific gravity 
of mother’s milk, at approximately 70 degrees Fahren¬ 
heit, is 10.81. After standing twenty-four hours, it 
should show from 3.5 to 7 per cent of cream. It has 
1.30 to 1.80 per cent of albumenoids, or casein. 

[ 104 ] 




Nursing the Baby 


With a specific gravity of 10.28 or 10.29, there 
should be from 8 per cent to 12 per cent of cream at 
the expiration of twenty-four hours. 

If the specific gravity goes decidedly above 10.31, the 
percentage of cream after twenty-four hours is likely 
to drop from 8 per cent to 5 per cent, which is con¬ 
sidered relatively low for mother’s milk. 

These, however, are technical tabulations which may 
be of only academic interest to the average mother. 

COMPARISON OF MOTHER’S MILK AND COW’s MILK 

In dealing with the modification of cow’s milk for 
human infants, Rotch has given us an interesting table 
showing the approximate composition of human and bo¬ 
vine milk, the reason for various attempts to modify 
cow’s milk, and the results we hope to attain thereby. 

This table shows that mother’s milk is alkaline in 
reaction, while cow’s milk is acid; and that there are 
no bacteria in mother’s milk, whereas cow’s milk not 
infrequently swarms with them. 

The watery solids and fat content of mother’s milk 
and cow’s milk are approximately the same. 

However, the albuminoids and the casein in mother’s 
milk averages only 1 per cent, as against 4 per cent 
in cow’s milk. The milk sugar in mother’s milk, on the 
other hand, averages 7 per cent, as against 4.5 per 
cent in cow’s milk. The ash in mother’s milk is only 
two-tenths of 1 per cent, as against seven-tenths of 1 
per cent in cow’s milk. 

Mother’s milk has a specific gravity of approximately 
10.31, while cow’s milk runs several degrees lower. It 
is chiefly the high percentage of casein (the part which 
[105] 



How to Raise the Baby 


forms the curd) in cow’s milk which renders it unfit, 
without modification, for the human baby. 

However, if we dilute it several degrees to make the 
albumenoid percentage identical with that of human 
milk, we also lower the amount of fat and sugar. The 
milk will therefore be imperfect in these particulars. 

Therefore, after diluting the cow’s milk, it is neces¬ 
sary to add sugar (as milk sugar), and more cream; 
and to neutralize its acidity it is frequently necessary 
to also add an alkali, such as the milk of magnesia, or 
lime water, suggested in the feeding formulas given later. 

The curd of cow’s milk is much 
tougher and more rubbery in con¬ 
sistency than that formed from 
mother’s milk. This is probably 
due to some chemical peculiarity 
of the casein itself, although it 
may depend merely upon the 
larger amount of casein present 
in cow’s milk, since the dilution 
of the cow’s milk to the density 
of mother’s milk seems to have a 
tendency to soften the curd. 

DIET OF THE NURSING MOTHER 

The diet of the nursing mother is a matter of great 
importance. Naturally, during the time she is confined 
to bed, her diet will be very light, and possibly not of 
a very nourishing character, since the bedridden condi¬ 
tion is not one to favor rapid digestion of food. 

After she is up and about, she should employ every 
to keep her digestive powers in the very best 
[ 106 ] 



means 





Nursing the Baby 


condition. In order to do this, she should have regular 
rest periods; should eat slowly, masticating her food 
thoroughly, and avoid all foods which are indigestible, 
or lacking in nutrition. 

Many mothers have the idea that certain foods should 
be religiously avoided at this time lest they should give 
the baby colic. 

This belief has very little reason for existence, unless 
the digestion of the mother is disturbed by the foods in 
question. There is no doubt, of course, that indigestion 
in the mother, no matter from what cause, is very likely 
to be followed by indigestion in the child. 

Occasionally, however, it has been found that raw 
fruit, or acid fruits, especially plums or prunes, when 
eaten by the mother may, without interfering with her 
digestion at all, in some way alter the character of her 
milk and cause colic in the baby. This, however, is a 
very rare exception. 

Also, it has been found that many articles of diet, 
such as turnips, onions, cauliflower and cabbage, which 
may contain aromatic oils, or which may have distinc¬ 
tive tastes and odors, frequently impart an unpleasant 
taste to the mother’s milk, just as cow’s milk may take 
on the taste of garlic eaten by the cow. 

The majority of mothers who have good digestions, 
however, may allow themselves a very liberal diet, espe¬ 
cially of natural, wholesome foods, without fear of in¬ 
fluencing the baby’s digestion. 

WHEN THERE IS AN INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF MILK 

When the mother’s milk supply is deficient, it may 
usually be increased by proper diet and other measures. 

[107] 




How to Raise the Baby 


Cow’s milk and milk foods in general, such as cus¬ 
tards, puddings, etc., have often proved excellent galac- 
tagogues—as milk-stimulating foods are called. Cocoa 
and some of the extracts of malt are also useful. 

Until or unless the supply of mother’s milk can be 
increased, it will be necessary, in these cases, to rein¬ 
force the natural food by a milk modification. 

This subject will be dealt with more at length in the 
following chapter. 

Regular exercise in the fresh air will also favor the 
production of an adequate milk supply. 

Late hours, or excitement of any kind, together with 
anxiety or worry, or nervousness, should, so far as 
possible, be avoided, as they tend to reduce the secre¬ 
tion of milk. 

It is a matter of record, that milk secreted shortly 
after the mother has experienced violent anger, fright, 
or some other strong emotion, has acted as an intense 
poison to the baby. If the mother has been subjected 
to any of these influences, it would be well to empty the 
breast with a breast-pump, or to withhold the breast 
from the child for a number of hours, giving it some 
artificially prepared milk in the interim. 

HOW TO HOLD THE BABY WHEN NURSING 

When nursing from the left breast, the baby should 
be held on its right side, its little head supported by the 
left arm of the mother. 

While nursing from the right breast, the position as 
above described, should be directly reversed, the child 
lying upon its left side. Occasionally, it may be found 
that the baby will vomit if nursed in the left-side posi- 
[ 108 ] 



Nursing the Baby 


tion, owing to the pressure of its heavy liver upon the 
stomach. In this case, the baby should lie upon its right 
side, with legs tucked directly under the mother’s riffht 
arm. 

For the first nursings the mother may be propped 
in bed with a pillow, or may lie upon her side. 

After she is able to sit up, it would be well for her to 
lean forward a little while nursing, so that the nipple 
may point in a downward direction toward the infant’s 
mouth. At the same time, she should steady the breast 
with the first two fingers of the right hand, in order to 
keep it from pressing upon the nose of the child. 

Should the child nurse too rapidly, the breast should 
be withdrawn from time to time, so as to prevent any 
possibility of choking, and also to allow it to recover 
its breath. 

Should the milk flow too freely, it may be retained by 
exerting pressure between the fingers and the thumb 
at the base of the nipple. 

If, however, the milk does not seem to flow with suffi¬ 
cient rapidity, or if the child seems delicate and unable 
to draw sufficient nourishment from the breast, pres¬ 
sure of the other hand upon the breast will aid in mas¬ 
saging more of the milk into the nipple orifice. 

THE AMOUNT OF THE FEEDING 

The first secretion of the breast, as already stated, is 
colostrum. For the first three days this is all that the 
baby requires, unless it be an occasional spoonful of 
cool water. The supply of true milk usually comes 
upon the third day, and is usually accompanied by a 
sense of fullness in the breasts and an uneasiness on the 
[109] 



How to Raise the Baby 


part of the mother. When this happens, it is well that 
baby should nurse at once and thus afford relief to the 
mother. 

From the beginning it is a matter of utmost impor¬ 
tance to both mother and baby to establish regular 
habits of feeding. For, if the mother gets into the habit 
of permitting the child to take the breast every time 
it cries, in order to keep it quiet, her own health is bound 
to suffer, and she will be perpetually tied to the child’s 
side. 

The baby will also be injured, for it will not have 
time to digest one supply of food before another is 
poured in on top of it. The result is often diarrhea 
and other digestive troubles. 

After a month or two the infant should be trained to 
nurse just before the mother retires for the night, and 
then to sleep until morning. From the beginning of its 
life until the ninth or tenth month, the mother’s milk 
should constitute the sole article of diet, except for 
orange juice. 

From the very first the infant can be taught to get 
along without night feedings—and be better for it. If 
for any reason the mother feels that the baby should 
receive nourishment between ten o’clock and five or six, 
one small feeding may be given at the time baby awakens 
—if he does awaken. But it is a crime to awaken the 
child to feed him. In fact even if he does awaken and 
cry, a little plain water or diluted fruit juice will be just 
as apt to appease him and put him to sleep, providing 
of course that he was not aroused by some other bodily 
discomfort, internal or external. By giving water to a 
nursing baby from a feeding bottle two important ob- 
[ 110 ] 



Nursing the Baby 


jects are accomplished, in addition to making him more 
comfortable: the child’s fluid balance is maintained, and 
it becomes accustomed to the bottle instead of the breast. 

The Nursing Time Table given in the following 
chapter is as valuable for breast feeding as for bottle 
feeding. 


HOW TO WEAN A BREAST-FED BABY 

After nine months, if the baby is normally healthy, it 
is well to begin the weaning process, so that it may be 
gradual and thus easier for both mother and babe. The 



Preparing baby’s orange juice. Always strain carefully to 
keep free from pits and pulp. 

new diet of the baby should be in the form of cow’s 
milk, which, ordinarily, should not be diluted. 

Begin by feeding one bottle of full cow’s milk each 
day. Use raw (unpasteurized) milk whenever possible. 
Pasteurized milk may be used if no other is obtainable. 
Many babies seem to thrive on it, but it is important 
that the juice of one-half or a whole orange be given 
with it. 


[in] 






How to Raise the Baby 


A day or two later two feedings may be given, and 
thus, by degrees, the child may be taken from the breast. 

If the baby declines the new diet, it is best to give 
nothing more than water until he becomes hungry 
enough to take the milk without demurring. Then pro¬ 
ceed gradually to increase the number of feedings of 
cow’s milk, simultaneously shortening the nursing peri¬ 
ods* until complete weaning from the breast is accom¬ 
plished. 

Care should be taken to have the milk warmed to the 
temperature of breast milk. In changing from the 
breast to cow’s milk, it must be remembered that the 
latter is heavier, more solid, and hence more difficult to 
digest than the former. Therefore one must guard 
against overfeeding. 

In hot weather it is usually wise to postpone the pe¬ 
riod of weaning somewhat, unless the mother’s milk 
should have become scanty and of poor quality. 

The child should be fed from the bottle until he has 
literally a mouthful of teeth. The only proper way for 
a baby to take liquid food is from the bottle. Fre¬ 
quently children become so attached to it that they give 
it up only with the greatest difficulty, and this attitude 
should be encouraged. 

Beginning at eighteen months or two years of age all 
kinds of whole-wheat and other whole-grain prepara¬ 
tions can be added to the child’s diet, but they must 
be given with considerable moderation. When the mouth 
glistens well with teeth, a little “chewable” bread, best 
made from unsifted whole wheat (honest Graham flour) 
can be allowed. It should be well baked and given dry. 

[112] 



Nursing the Baby 


FRUIT FOR BONES AND TEETH 

At the same time one can begin the use of sub-acid 
and sweet fruit, such as oranges, ripe peaches, figs, 
grapes, muskmelons, sweet apples (in any form, but 
preferably raw, baked, or stewed), very ripe bananas, 
dates, prunes and raisins. 

Of these fruits perhaps the best is the orange, when 
sound and ripe. Only the carefully strained juice 
should be fed to infants, to prevent the slight irrita¬ 
tion consequent on the swallowing of fragments of 
pulp. 



Straining the cereal used for baby’s feeding. 

These foods furnish valuable salts, and, as Drs. Bow¬ 
ers and Ryan point out in their book, “Teeth and 
Health,” it is extremely important that young children 
should have plenty of these materials for the building of 
bones and teeth. 


9 


[113] 








How to Raise the Baby 


The acid juice of fruits is a distinct reinforcement 
of the tooth-and-bone-producing salts of milk, for they 
are immediately separated in the stomach into the alka¬ 
line salts of calcium and potassium, both essential ele¬ 
ments of tooth and bone structure. This is a point that 
even well-informed physicians and dentists seem to have 
ignored. Yet it is one of the most important facts con¬ 
nected with the feeding of young children. 

Fruits are also valuable, of course, in maintaining 
regular action of the bowels. 

WHEY AS A FOOD 

Another excellent food for the bones and teeth is 
whey—a milk product that has been little used in 
America. 

Whey is extremely rich in lime and other mineral 
salts which help to build bones and teeth, and our fail¬ 
ure to make use of it in the feeding of humans perhaps 
has something to do with the prevalence of tooth decay 
among our children. 

Whey also has the effect common to all soured milks 
of tending to overcome any inclination toward intestinal 
toxemia (one type of auto-intoxication), which is a very 
serious condition. 

The best way to prepare whey is to heat a pint of 
fresh milk until it is lukewarm, then add a teaspoonful 
of rennet or essence of pepsin, stir for a few moments, 
and then allow to stand until it is firmly coagulated. 

The curd is then broken up with a fork, and the whey 
strained off through thin muslin. The curd makes deli¬ 
cious “cottage cheese” for the older members of the fam¬ 
ily who are able to digest this excellent article of food. 
[114] 



Nursing the Baby 


The whey, when given to children, should usually be 
diluted with water. And, except when fed to those with 
very weak digestive organs, it may have a little cream 
added to increase the nutritive properties. 

WHAT KIDDIES THRIVE ON 

There is a great variety of diet, nutritious and whole¬ 
some, that agrees excellently with children of, say, three 
years and over. But always the fact must be kept in 
mind that a weaning bab}^ cannot safely take the same 
class of food that these older children can take. This 
weaning time is a critical period in the child’s nutrition 
and, to a large extent, his future development depends 
upon the way in which he is fed during these precarious 
months. 

No definite rule can be given as to the specific articles 
and quantities that should compose each meal for every 
baby. It is important that enough be given to insure 
a steady gain in weight, but the amount and variety 
should be kept down to just sufficient to accomplish this 
result and insure a satisfactory supply of all necessary 
elements. 


[115] 



CHAPTER XII 


Bottle Feeding 

A bottle tree bloometh in “Winkyway” land, 

Heigh-ho for a bottle, I say; 

A snug little berth in that ship I demand 
That rockets the bottle-tree Babies away 
Where the bottle tree bloometh by night and by day. 
And reacheth its fruit to each wee dimpled hand; 

And you take of that fruit as much as you list, 

For colic’s a nuisance and doesn’t exist; 

So cuddle me close and cuddle me fast, 

And cuddle me snug in my cradle away; 

For I hunger and thirst for that precious repast, 

Heigh-ho for a bottle, I say. 

—Eugene Field. 

E XCEPT for an occasional case among animals in 
captivity, I have never heard of a mother of the 
lower creation who was unable to suckle her young. And 
in the human family it is only among the “civilized” 
races that such a condition is found. Here one finds 
many cases in which there is an absolute deficiency or 
absence of milk in the mother’s breast. In such cases 
some substitute must be found, and as no chemist was 
ever able to prepare a food for infants which equalled 
that provided by nature this is a difficult task. 

If there is any milk in the mother’s breast, the baby 
should have it (except in those cases later mentioned 
in which it is inadvisable for the mother to nurse her 
baby), the deficiency in amount and quality being made 
up by a substitute. Seven bottle-fed babies die to one 
fed from the breast, and even a small quantity of its 
natural food is a tremendous advantage to an infant. 
[ 116 ] 


Bottle Feeding 


If a wet nurse is obtainable, she should by all means 
be secured. Many women who have been bereft of their 
own offspring, either at the moment of birth or later, 
would be willing to nurse another’s baby, to save it from 
the dangers of bottle feeding, but great care must be 
taken, of course, to make sure that the substitute 
mother is absolutely free from disease, especially “blood 
diseases.” 

If such a wet nurse is not obtainable the best and 
most easily procurable substitute for mother’s milk is 
cow’s milk, raw if possible. Pasteurization and steril¬ 
ization destroy a certain number of germs in the milk; 
but some of these germs are normally present in milk 
and should be retained. They also largely destroy the 
antiscorbutic vitamine, and may have other injurious 
effects that we cannot analyze. 

No definite, absolutely reliable rule can be given as to 
the amount of milk necessary for a bottle-fed baby at 
any given age. For much depends upon the size, vigor 
and digestive capacity of the individual infant. 

I personally believe that the entire “straight” milk 
of the cow, with the addition of a small amount of 
cream, may often be given to a baby under three or four 
months of age, and that this is best when it can be done. 
But because cow’s milk is quite different from mother’s 
milk, perhaps at the very first only a few teaspoonfuls 
should be given (in a baby bottle) to a wee infant at 
each feeding, with pure unaltered water. 

As graded in the cities certified milk is best, but Grade 
A pasteurized milk must be used in many cases, owing to 
the considerably greater cost of the certified milk. Pas¬ 
teurized milk has the objections already stated, but 
[ 117 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 



Pouring milk into graduated glass preparatory to adding the 
supplementary materials called for in baby’s feeding formula. 

gives good results in most cases. Its tendency to pro¬ 
duce scurvy may be overcome by the use of fruit juices. 
Sterilized (boiled) milk should never be used if it is pos¬ 
sible to avoid it. These details are for city mothers. 
Those living in small towns and in rural districts need 
not worry about them. 

Further on in this chapter will be found full directions 
for pasteurizing milk. By following these suggestions 
any mother can make cow’s milk safe for her baby. 

Holstein or Ayrshire cows give the best milk for in¬ 
fant feeding, as the percentage of fat is considerably 
less than in Jersey and Guernsey milk. 

[118] 













Bottle Feeding 


All other breeds of cattle give milk of a medium grade 
that is perfectly safe to use. In many localities where 
dairies are not kept, farmers have cows or herds of 
mixed breeds. If the cows themselves are healthy, well 
fed and well kept, their milk will be satisfactory for all 
purposes. 

And it is advisable always to use mixed milk, rather 
than milk from a single cow, since there is less variation 
from day to day. 

Sometimes a change in the source of milk will be an 
advantage to the baby, if he is not progressing favor¬ 
ably, even when the modification is exactly the same 
as before. 



Preparing the day’s feeding for baby. 
[119] 










How to Raise the Baby 


THE FEEDING OUTFIT 

While I have stated that I believe in giving “straight 
milk” whenever possible, in many cases it will be neces¬ 
sary to modify the milk, and for the benefit of mothers 
of such babies it may be advisable to give some modify¬ 
ing formulas, as well as a list of articles useful in the 
process. The complete outfit for the feeding of a bottle 
baby and for modifying the milk should consist of: 

Bottles—one for each feeding during the twenty-four 
hours. The mouths should be large enough to admit 
a brush for cleaning. 

Stoppers of rubber or non-absorbent cotton for the 
bottles. 

A sixteen-ounce graduated measuring glass, with a 
spout or lip. 

Nipples. Get those without holes and which can be 
turned inside out. Pierce the end with a small 
needle, having the hole just large enough to let the 
milk drop out rather rapidly when the filled 
bottle is inverted, but never run in a constant 
stream. 

Bottle brush for cleaning inside of bottles. 

Cream dipper, or a siphon made of two pieces of 
glass tubing, joined by a rubber tubing with a shut¬ 
off attached. 

Small funnel for filling bottles. 

Teaspoon. 

Tablespoon. 

Pitcher holding about two quarts—of enamel or agate 
ware. 

A roll of sterile non-absorbent cotton, or even 
absorbent cotton. 

A wire rack to hold the bottles. 

A teapot. This should be of enamel or agate ware, 
and should be kept filled with boiled water, the 
nozzle constantly covered or filled with the cotton. 

A large pan that will hold all of the above articles 
for boiling them. This pan should not be used for 
any other purpose. 

If any cereal, such as strained oatmeal, or barley 
water, is needed for the baby, it will also be 
necessary to provide a double boiler. 

[120] 




Bottle Feeding 



Testing temperature of milk in bottles by dropping on back 
of hand. Taking the nipple in the mouth to test the tempera¬ 
ture of the milk is a practice that cannot be too strongly 
condemned. 

PREPARATION OF THE MILK 

The best method of preparing the milk is to put in 
the pitcher the correct amount of milk sugar (as di¬ 
rected later), cream and milk, with water or lime water; 
stir well, then pour into the feeding bottles, cork these 
or insert cotton or gauze stoppers; set the bottles in 
the wire rack and place all in the ice box. 

The entire supply for twenty-four hours should be 
prepared at one time, and one bottle at a time should 
be taken out, as required for feeding. This one bottle 
should be placed in a pitcher or pan, which is filled with 
enough warm water to bring the milk up to the proper 
temperature. 

This temperature may be tested by pouring a few 
drops of milk on the inner surface of the elbow—where 

[121] 









How to Raise the Baby 


it should feel comfortably warm. But never test by 
tasting —for this careless act may contaminate the nip¬ 
ple with pathogenic germs, which are always present in 
the mouth. 

Never put the baby’s milk directly over the flame to 
warm it quickly, for the milk will be heated too much 
or scorched. 

WHY DILUTION IS FREQUENTLY NECESSARY 

Cow’s milk, as we have seen, contains nearly three 
times as much protein (in the form of casein) as is 
found in mother’s milk, and this casein is also less 
easy to digest. 

Therefore, in order to approximate more closely the 
chemical and nutritive balance of mother’s milk, it is 
necessary in a large number of cases to reduce the heavi¬ 
ness of the cow’s milk by dilution. 

The extent of this dilution varies somewhat, although 
the best authorities agree that for the early weeks of 
infanthood the milk should be diluted twice—that is, 
one-third milk and two-thirds water. After the third 
month a fifty per cent dilution will be about right. 

Another purpose of this dilution is to reduce the 
amount of fats in the food. For it has been determined 
that, although the percentage of fats in cow’s milk and 
in mother’s milk is approximately the same, the fat 
globules in mother’s milk are much more finely sub¬ 
divided. As a consequence, the fat globules in cow’s 
milk are much more difficult for the baby to digest. 

The “seven percent top milk” is usually regarded as 
the most adaptable part of the milk for infant feeding. 

[ 122 ] 





i m&mm 


iiipl 








>:::*• ,* 

:5 


a? :y.-> 




[ 123 ] 


Types of feeding bottles and nipples. 
















How to Raise the Baby 


This is secured by removing the upper sixteen ounces 
(one-half) from a quart bottle of cow’s milk. 

If the milk is only of fair grade as to richness, 
slightly less top milk can be used to secure the “seven 
per cent top milk,” as the more milk poured off the less 
rich the mixture in cream. 

In removing this “top milk” from the bottled milk, it 
is well to use the Chapin dipper or a siphon. Or the dip¬ 
per devised by the Walker-Gorden Laboratories of New 
York may be found convenient. 

These dippers hold one ounce. It will therefore be 
comparatively easy to estimate the proportion of fats 
and protein entering into the formula. 

The following is the author’s 

SUGGESTED TABLE OF MODIFICATION FOR 
BOTTLE FEEDING OF 
AVERAGE INFANT: 


AGE 

TOP 

MILK 

OUNCES 

MILK 

SUGAR 

OUNCES 

LIME 

WATER 

IP 

BOILED 

OR 

DISTILLED 


AMOUNT 

OP 

EACH 

Up to One Month. 

. 5 

1 

NEEDED 

OUNCES 

1 

WATER 

OUNCES 

15 

FEEDING 

OUNCES 

1/4 to 2 

One to Two Months. 

. 7 

1 

1 

15 

2 

to 3 

Two to Three Months. 

.10 

1 

1 

15 

3 

to 4 

Three to Four Months.... 

.15 

1 

1 

15 

4 

to 5 

Four to Six Months. 

.20 

1 

1 

15 

5 

to 6i/ 3 

Seven to Eight Months.... 

WHOLE 

MILK 

.25 

1 

1 

BARLEY 

WATER 

10 

7 

to 8 

Eight to Ten Months. 

.27 

1 

1 

10 

7 

to 8 

Ten Months and Upward. 

.32 

1 

1 

8 

8 

to 10 


It will be seen that this allows a smaller quantity 
than the succeeding formulas, but I believe it will pro¬ 
vide sufficient nourishment for any baby of the ages 
given. 


[ 124 ] 










Bottle Feeding 


One good rule to follow for the average infant is to 
add one to the baby’s age in months, and give that num¬ 
ber of ounces per feeding. That is, if the baby is three 
months old, add one to three, which makes four. This 
number of ounces will be approximately correct for that 
age. This is merely a rough guide, however, for it will 
be necessary to give a small, frail child less, while a 
larger, sturdier child will require more. 

If it is evident that the child is not digesting its food, 
as learned from the stools, or if it is gaining weight too 
slowly, strained barley water may be used in place of the 
boiled water and in the same proportions. 

If there are “green stools,” or if there is a tendency 
to diarrhea, lime water may be used in the formula, 
also as a substitute for an equal amount of boiled water. 
In these cases the sugar should be eliminated entirely for 
a short period. 

GIVE WATER BETWEEN FEEDINGS 

It must be understood that the water in the feeding 
does not supply all the water the nursing babe should 
have. Plain boiled water, slightly warmed, should be 
given in the bottle between feedings. Some prefer to give 
the milk sugar with the water, leaving it out of the 
milk. 

Another formula for infant feeding, and one which 
is highly approved by eminent pediatricians, calls for 
“top milk,” dextrose (a new feeding sugar), milk of 
magnesia, and water. 

The purpose of adding the milk of magnesia, as al¬ 
ready stated, is to overcome the acidity of cow’s milk, 
and make it more nearly approximate mother’s milk in 

[ 125 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 



Improperly adjusted nipple. Causes 
baby to bite on hard glass rim of 
bottle. 


its chemical constit¬ 
uents. In no sense 
is it to be regarded 
as a “medicine.” 

The formulas at 
bottom of page are 
based on the substitu¬ 
tion of dextrose for 
milk sugar and milk 
of magnesia for lime 
water, and are to be 
used after the supply 
of colostrum has been 
exhausted, a n d i n 
those cases where the 
milk proper is not se¬ 
creted in sufficient 
quality or quantity. 

Some physicians 
who have given 
special study to diet 
say that three feed¬ 
ings each day will 
give the baby all the 


Three to Ten Days.. 

Ten to 21 Days. 

Three to Six Weeks.. 
Six to Twelve Weeks. 
Three to Five Months 
Five to Seven Months 


TOP MILK 
OUNCES 


6 

.. 7y 3 
..10 
. .14 
..18 
. .21 


DEXTROSE 

OUNCES 

1 Y» 

2 
2 
2 
2 
2 

2V, 


Seven to Nine Months..27 
Nine to Twelve Months.32 (1 Qt.) 2y 3 


MILK OP 
MAGNESIA 
TEA¬ 
SPOONFULS 

% 

Vz 

% 

1 

1 % 

1% 

2 


FILTERED 
OR BOILED 
WATER 
OUNCES 

iey 3 

21 % 

20 

20 

20 

19 

18 % 

18 % 


TOTAL 

AMOUNT 

OUNCES 

24 

30 

32 

36 

40 

42 

48 

53 


[ 126 ] 












Bottle Feeding 



nourishment required, 
and that the limita¬ 
tion of its meals to 
this number will 
obviate most of the 
digestive and other 
ills that baby often 
has. 

I consider that 
this is too rigid a 
regime for a very 
young infant, and 
will make it necessary 
for the baby to take 
too much food at a 
time. In practically 
every instance I be¬ 
lieve that the number 
of feedings given in 
the table on the next 
page will prove more 
conducive to a 
steady, normal 
growth. 

While some con¬ 
sider night feedings a 
necessity for young Properly adjusted nipple. 

infants, you will see that at a very early age it can 
he arranged to allow both baby and mother to rest 
undisturbed during their sleeping hours. This arrange¬ 
ment is very successfully accomplished in the follow¬ 
ing schedule. 


[ 127 ] 





How to Raise the Baby 



Incorrect feeding position for bottle baby. Don’t 
hold the baby during his feeding, as he is apt to be 
cramped and uncomfortable. 

NURSING TIME TABLE 


SECOND WEEK THIRD MONTH 

FIRST WEEK TO TO EIGHTH • TENTH 

THIRD MONTH SEVENTH MONTH MONTH MONTH 


A.M. 

P.M. 

A.M. 

P.M. 

A.M. 

P.M. 

A.M. 

P.M. 

A.M. 

P.M 

3:00 

1:00 

6:30 

2:30 

7:00 

1:00 

7:00 

2:00 

7:00 

3:00 

6:30 

3:00 

(Bath 

5:00 

(Bath 

4:00 

(Bath 

5:30 

(Bath 

7:00 

(Bath 

5:00 

at 

7:30 

at 

7:00 

at 

9:00 

at 


at 

7:00 

9:00) 

10:30 

9:30) 

10:00 

10:00) 


10:30) 


8:30) 

9:00 

9:30 


10:00 


10:30 


11:00 


9:00 

11:00 

12:00 






(Nap) 



11:00 


[ 128 ] 







Bottle Feeding 


During the time the infant is on the colostrum, there 
should be six feedings a day, with four hours inter¬ 
mission between feedings. This will be for the first two 
days at least. Tor the remainder of this first week feed 
as per schedule above, and don’t fail to give baby a few 
spoonfuls of w r ater occasionally at this time, especially 
so if crying indicates discomfort. 

It is always better for the baby’s health to err on 
the side of deficiency rather than excess of food, and 
infrequent rather than too frequent feedings. Expe¬ 
rience and experiment alone will decide the quantity of 
food and number of feedings best suited to any indi¬ 
vidual case. We can only give rules that have been fol¬ 
lowed with success in many other cases. Let the baby 
decide for himself the quantity of his food on hot days, 
for, if he has always been fed properly, his appetite and 
instinct will more safely guide him in his diet than his 
mother’s knowledge and desires. 



Correct feeding position for bottle baby. Baby is most com¬ 
fortable when lying on his side with head slightly elevated. 


[ 129 ] 


10 






How to Raise the Baby 


POSITION DURING NURSING 

Regardless of what is said concerning the best posi¬ 
tions of the child while nursing from the bottle, many 
mothers will doubtless use the customary position on the 
back. If the pillow is propped uniformly so that the 
baby’s head is somewhat higher than the abdomen and 
so that the stomach will not be folded forward in such 


AGE 

,lOmo. & over - 
7 -10 months - 

4 ~(o months - 

3 "4 months ~ 
7 “3 months - 
1-2 months - 
Up to 1 month' 



ill 


i i 


AMOUNT OF NUMBER OF 

EACH KFOING- f££DING5 OAilY 

8 ~iO oz — 4 
■7-8 oz — 5 


■5 oz — 

■4-5 oz — 
■3-4 oz — 

■2 -5 oz — 
■lhi -2 oz — 



Approximate quantities and number of feedings 
for baby at different ages. The amounts given 
are for each feeding during the day. 


a way as to lessen its capacity, this position should be 
satisfactory; for baby’s stomach is little more than a 
dilatation in the digestive tube and is not a large curved 







Bottle Feeding 



To prevent colic after feeding. Hold the 
baby up on your shoulder and pat his back 
for a minute to allow regurgitation of air 
swallowed with milk. 

But perhaps the position that interferes least with 
digestion is lying on the right side. The pillows, even 
in this case, should be uniformly elevated from the feet 
up to the head, and wide enough so that the bottle can 
be easily supported on them by the baby’s side. 

[ 131 ] 







How to Raise the Baby 


Using the Chapin Dipper. 

LENGTH OF NURSING PERIODS 

Ten to twenty minutes is all baby should require for 
each feeding, after which the bottle should be taken 
away, and not given again until the next feeding. Or, 
better still, perhaps, he may be allowed to feed as long 
[132] 










Bottle Feeding 


as he is eager for the bottle. When he begins to “play” 
with the nipple, or takes the milk without interest, re¬ 
move the bottle. 

After feeding, lift the baby out of the crib, place 
him on your shoulder, and pat him gently for a minute, 
to allow him to regurgitate any air that he may have 
swallowed. 

Then put him back in his crib, and let him alone —so 
as to give him the best possible chance to digest his 
food and get off to dreamland. 

Never let the youngster form the habit of going to 
sleep with the nipple in his mouth. This for reasons 
which have already been explained in detail. 

HEALTH AND HYGIENIC PRECAUTIONS 

After feeding, the bottle and nipple should be rinsed 
in cold water. The bottle should then be filled with 
water to which a little bicarbonate of soda has been 
added, and the nipple should be placed in a covered 
glass containing a solution of boric acid or borax. 

Before being filled again next morning, each bottle 
should be carefully washed with a bottle brush and 
hot soap-suds, then placed for a few minutes in boiling 
water. 

The nipples should also have a daily washing with 
soap and water, after which they should be kept in the 
boric-acid solution until required. 

If these precautions are carefully observed, you may 
be absolutely certain that your baby will be protected 
from the scourge of bottle-fed babies, infection from 
unsanitary bottles and nipples, and from all the trouble 
and danger that this infection entails. 

[ 133 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 



Placing bottles in kettle for home pasteurization. 


PASTEURIZED AND STERILIZED MILK 


I do not approve of sterilizing milk, for sterilizing 
means that not only is at least one of the highly essen¬ 
tial vitamines of the milk destroyed by long boiling 
(from an hour to an hour and a half at 212 or more 
degrees Fahrenheit), but also the casein of the milk is 
rendered decidedly less digestible. 

[ 134 ] 









Bottle Feeding 


Pasteurizing, on the contrary, means the heating of 
the milk to from 150 to 167 degrees for a period of 
twenty to thirty minutes. This degree of heat and 
length of time are usually sufficient to destroy malig¬ 
nant micro-organisms and at the same time leave 
practically intact the vital nutrient elements of the 
milk. 

While unpasteurized milk is rarely fit for use after 
it is a day or two old, particularly for baby feeding, 
properly pasteurized milk will keep on ice for several 

days. It will 
have no objection¬ 
able taste and it is 
generally consid¬ 
ered that its diges¬ 
tibility and nutri¬ 
tive qualities are 
but slightly 
changed. This, 
however, as I have 
stated elsewhere, I 
have some reason 
to doubt. The 
antiscorbutic vita- 
mine is very sen¬ 
sitive to heat, and 
the others may 
perhaps be suscep¬ 
tible to lesser tem¬ 
peratures than we 
have heretofore 
been led to believe. 



Diagram illustrating how an ordinary 
kettle may be used for pasteurizing by 
inserting a “false bottom” to raise 
the bottles from the floor of the ket¬ 
tle, which is in contact with the fire. 
The perforated false bottom is sepa¬ 
rately illustrated at the foot of the 
diagram. 


[ 135 ] 






















How to Raise the Baby 


As stated earlier in the chapter, I prefer plain raw milk 
when we can be sure that it is safe. 

Certified milk should be used wherever it is possible 
to secure it. If this cannot be obtained, and pas¬ 
teurized milk is not available, one can, if one wishes, 



Showing incorrect flow in a steady stream. This causes too 
rapid feeding, producing digestive disorder. 

do one’s own pasteurizing. The following method will 
prove very effective for 

HOME PASTEURIZATION 

Have the milk modified as for feeding, and bottled— 
the bottles corked or stoppered with cotton. Place the 
bottles in some vessel with vertical sides and a false 
[136] 









Bottle Feeding 


bottom, made by perforating and inverting some shallow 
pan like a pie tin. Put in enough water to come level 
with the milk line, and place thermometer perpendicu¬ 
larly in the water among the bottles. 

Heat the water to 150 to 167 Fahrenheit, leave for 
twenty minutes, remove the whole from the fire, and 



Correct flow—drop by drop. 

wrap in warm blankets or other covering to preserve the 
temperature for ten to twenty minutes longer, or con¬ 
tinue the direct heat for a full half-hour. Cool bottles 
quickly in running water and place in the refrigerator. 

If the home has no ice box, wrap the cooled bottles 
in sterile wet flannel, or other cloth, and set in the 
coolest place in the house. 

[ 137 ] 









How to Raise the Baby 


CONDENSED MILK 

Condensed milk, evaporated milk, dried milk and 
other forms of concentrated milk have a certain utility, 
but are particularly adapted for emergencies, or for 
tropical and sub-tropical countries, where it is impos¬ 
sible to secure fresh cow’s milk. 

Inferior grades of milk are frequently used-in these 
preparations, and some of the fat may be removed. 

They should rarely be used except on the advice of 
a physician, and then only temporarily as a tide- 
over, as when traveling, until fresh milk can be 
secured. 

Evaporated milk and dried milk are to be preferred 
to condensed milk, as the latter contains cane sugar, 
which acts as an irritant to the intestinal canal of a 
delicate child. 

If condensed milk is used, it should be diluted say, 
for an infant three or four months old, with about 
twelve parts of plain boiled water, or, preferably, with 
barley water. 

This barley water is prepared by adding one tea¬ 
spoonful of barley flour to a little cold water, then stir¬ 
ring thoroughly into this ten ounces of boiling water 
to which a pinch of salt has been added. Cook this in 
a double boiler for thirty minutes. Then strain, and 
add enough hot water to bring the quantity up to one 
pint. 

When condensed milk is used as the basis of the child’s 
food, the dilution can be gradually reduced to one part 
to ten parts of water, then one part to nine, one to 
eight, etc., according to baby’s digestion and progress 
[138] 



Bottle Feeding 


generally, gradually lengthening the intervals between 
feedings. 

Evaporated milk requires the same addition of dex¬ 
trose or milk sugar as does plain milk—about one ounce 
to every twenty ounces of food. More specific sugges¬ 
tions are not given, since, as stated above, these milks 
should usually be used only on the advice of a fully ex¬ 
perienced physician. 

CORN SYRUP IN INFANT FEEDING 

From the standpoint of nutriment, there is really 
very little difference between cane sugar, levulose (as 
found in fruits or honey), dextrose and maltose. These 
sugars are all nutritious, fairly easily digested, easily 
assimilated, and all yield approximately the same 
amount of energy to the body. 

In the matter of sweetness, of course, there is consid¬ 
erable variation. For, assuming that the sweetness of 
cane sugar (sucrose or saccharase) should be 100, that 
of levulose would be 150, maltose 60, dextrose 50, and 
40 per cent glucose (corn syrup) 20. 

One of the most notable contributions to the modern 
science of infant feeding is the discovery of the fact that 
corn syrup is of extraordinary value in the feeding of 
infants. 

Dr. W. McKim Marriott, of St. Louis, in the Journal 
of the American Medical Association of October 18th, 
1919, has suggested the use of corn syrup as a carbo¬ 
hydrate in the modification of milk for baby feeding, in 
preference to any other form of sugar, especially where 
there is any intestinal fermentation present. 

A mixture of 45 volumes of corn syrup with 55 
[139] 



How to Raise the Baby 


volumes of water gives about 50 per cent of carbohy¬ 
drates. This corn syrup is absorbed so rapidly that but 
little fermentation can occur before absorption, and, 
unlike other sugars, it has but little tendency to induce 
diarrhea. The stools remain firm, formed and pasty, 
and average from one to three a day. 

With many infants on whom the formula was tried, 
there seemed to be almost no limit to the amount of 
carbohydrate that could be added to 
the milk mixture without digestive 
disturbance. The advantage of this 
heat-and-energy-yielding food, given 
in such quantities to weak and emaci¬ 
ated infants, can hardly be over-esti¬ 
mated. The corn syrup used is of the 
ordinary commercial variety, contain¬ 
ing 80 to 85 per cent of carbohydrate 
by weight. 

COMBINE IT WITH LACTIC-ACID MILK 

When corn syrup is used as the car¬ 
bohydrate in combination with lactic- 
acid milk, the results have been ex¬ 
traordinarily good, especially in cases of diarrhea and 
vomiting, which do not seem to yield to the ordinary 
methods of milk-formula adjustment. 

This lactic-acid milk is prepared by first pasteurizing 
milk as explained elsewhere in this chapter, then cooling 
to room temperature, “inoculating” with a culture of 
Bulgarian bacillus, or some other lactic-acid-producing 
organism, and incubating overnight. 

When properly prepared, the lactic-acid milk is of a 
[140] 



Clean nipples 
should be kept 
in a covered 
glass contain¬ 
ing boric-acid 
solution. 





Bottle Feeding 


thick, creamy consistency, delicious to the taste, and 
exceedingly digestible. For, it will be remembered, one 
of the first steps in the digestion of milk is to 
thoroughly coagulate it. 

Do not forget that too long a period of incubation, or 
too high a degree of temperature, may result in the 
separation of the curds and whey. 

Inasmuch as a thick syrup is somewhat difficult to 
handle and to mix with milk, it is much more conven¬ 
ient to prepare a diluted syrup, using as already men¬ 
tioned 45 volumes of the thick syrup to 55 volumes of 
water. 

It is advisable to increase the amount of syrup grad¬ 
ually so as to bring the carbohydrate up to the infant’s 
point of tolerance, and insure a steady progressive gain. 
The number of ounces of milk given at each feeding 
should be about the same as when breast milk is 
fed. 

The mixture I have here described has a food value 
of 25 to 30 calories to the ounce, which amount is 
greater than that of breast milk, or of any of the rou¬ 
tine milk modifications that can be fed with any assur¬ 
ance of safety. It can be used to advantage in cases 
in which a higher calorific value to the ounce is required, 
as when, because of a weakened condition, an infant can 
take only a limited number of ounces at each feeding 
and only a limited number of feedings during the twenty- 
four hours. 

But let me add that if the infant is fed on good fresh 
milk, with fruit juices and occasionally scraped apple- 
pulp from very sweet apples, there will be no need for 
correction by corn syrup or any other laboratory 

* [ 141 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


preparation. Nature’s laboratory has never yet been 
improved upon, or even equalled. 

PREPARED MILK SOMETIMES CONSTIPATING 

It may be well to mention here that infants and chil¬ 
dren fed on an artificial milk diet are prone to develop 



After a preliminary rinsing, the bottles should be 
filled with a solution of bicarbonate of soda and 
allowed to stand until the time comes for boiling 
them. 

constipation, a condition which favors the storing up in 
the system of the poisons of decay, which, if not properly 
eliminated, tend to weaken the organic resistence, depress 
the system, and lower the vitality to a very great extent. 








Bottle Feeding 



Bottles must be scrupulously washed with brush and hot 
suds before being put to boil. A special vessel should be 
set aside for this purpose. 



Cleaned bottles ready to be soaked in boiling water before 
being used. 

[ 143 ] 















How to Raise the Baby 


Many such cases are corrected by the simple pro¬ 
cedure of omitting the sugar content of the milk prepa¬ 
ration, for it is a certainty that these sugar prepara¬ 
tions do have a marked tendency to “upset” the normal 
action of the bowels in the vast majority of cases. Fruit 
juices should always be given with such foods. 

PROPRIETARY FOODS FOR BABY 

There are many baby foods, extensively advertised, 
which have achieved a very considerable recognition, and 
which are undoubtedly of value in some selected cases. 
A very pertinent objection to these foods, however, is 
their high carbohydrate (fattening) content, which has 
a tendency to throw out of balance the digestive and 
assimilative functions. 

For the chief nutritive ingredient of these foods is 
maltose, in combination with protein and a limited 
amount of fats. 

Among these maltose preparations are Horlick’s 
“Malted Milk,” Meade Johnson’s “Dextri-Maltose,” and 
various German preparations, as for instance, “Nahr- 
zucker” and Loeflund’s and Brorcherdt’s “Malt Soup 
Extract”—also the somewhat less expensive “Neutral 
Maltose” of the Maltzyme Company. 

As the directions for the feeding of babies of differ¬ 
ent ages are given with these products, it is not neces¬ 
sary to go into details on this point. But for an infant 
of six months or thereabouts, from two teaspoonfuls to 
two tablespoonfuls of any of these preparations may 
be added to the daily allowance of food, replacing an 
equal quantity of milk sugar in the modifications. This 
[144] 



Bottle Feeding 


applies also to Mellin’s Food, which contains a large 
percentage of maltose. 

As to the relative merits of these foods there is not 
much to be said. Some babies will thrive surprisingly 
well on one formula, others on another; and it is quite 
a usual thing to see babies get round and rosy on a 
formula that would be absolutely contra-indicated or 
unproductive of favorable results in other babies. 

With these malt-sugar preparations, providing they 
can be properly tolerated, many children gain more 
rapidly in weight than when only cane sugar or milk 
sugar is used. 

Maltose is somewhat more laxative than other arti¬ 
ficial sugars; therefore it may be advantageous in cases 
of constipation. 

AN EXCESS OF MALT SUGAR IS EIKEEY TO CAUSE 
DIARRHEAL CONDITIONS 

On the contrary, if there is already a tendency to a 
too free action of the bowels, the use of preparations 
containing an excess of malt sugar is likely to aggra¬ 
vate the condition, or produce a tendency to frequent 
vomiting. Therefore it is always advisable to carefully 
watch the stool while administering these preparations. 

The purpose of the sugar element in the various for¬ 
mulas is to furnish one of the elements needed for the 
growth of the body—and one that very young infants 
require in relatively larger quantity than older children, 
as shown by the fact that in rich mother’s milk the 
amount of milk sugar is greater than that of the protein, 
fats and salts combined. 

But foods that contain a large amount of malt sugar 

[145] 


11 



How to Raise the Baby 


are liable to make baby fat and “lazy,” at the expense 
of bone and structural growth. 

If these foods are employed at all, then, it is impor¬ 
tant to gauge the baby’s development in ways other 
than that of mere gain in weight. 

WEANING THE BOTTLE BABY 

In introducing solid foods into the diet of a bottle 
baby the same procedure should be employed as with a 
breast-fed baby at the same stage. If the bottle nurs¬ 
ing has been adjusted so that it has accomplished ap¬ 
proximately what breast milk would have done, the di¬ 
gestion, nutrition, and general condition of the baby 
will be equal to that of a naturally fed baby and no 
difference in further treatment should be required. 


[146 ] 



CHAPTER XIII 


Weight, Growth and Development 
Physical and Mental 


When our Babe he goeth walking in his garden 
Around his twinkling feet the sunbeams play; 
And posies they are good to him, 

And bow them as they should to him, 

As fareth he upon his kingly way; 

And birdlings of the wood to him 
Make music, gentle music, all the day. 

When our Babe he goeth walking in his garden. 


—Eugene Field. 


HILE there is, naturally, a difference in the 



V V development of children, babies who are normal 
reach certain stages and accomplish certain things at 
about the same age. 

For instance, growth and the increase in weight, the 
development of the ability to stand or walk, or to ex¬ 
press certain emotions, the eruption of the teeth, etc., 
are fairly uniform among babies of the same race and 
living under the same conditions. 

If the baby does not develop precisely according to 
schedule, however, the mother need not be alarmed, un¬ 
less the child is pronouncedly backward in certain defi¬ 
nite respects. 

THE WEIGHT OF THE CHILD A VERY IMPORTANT MATTER 

The average weight of babies at birth varies from 
61 / 2 to 71/2 pounds, the boys being, generally, slightly 
heavier than the girls. While no hard and fast rule can 
be laid down, it may be stated that during the first week 


[ 147 ] 


How to Raise the Baby 


the baby may be expected to lose an ounce and a half 
or two ounces of weight. By the end of two weeks he 
usually weighs somewhat more than at birth. Then he 
should gain about an ounce a day for the first and sec¬ 
ond months. 

During the third and fourth months the baby should 
gain about five ounces a week, or, roughly, three- 
quarters of an ounce a day, so that by the time he is 
five months old he will have doubled his original weight. 

During the fifth and 
sixth months the increase 
should be approximately 
two-thirds of an ounce a 
day. After this, from the 
sixth to the twelfth month, 
he should gain at the rate 
of a pound a month, or 
three and two-thirds 
ounces a week, so that at 
the end of a year he will 
have trebled his original 
weight. 

The normal increase in 
weight of the child is the 

best general index of its physical condition. For often a 
large child with fat, flabby flesh will weigh less than a 
smaller child, with firm bones and solid and substantial 
flesh. 

The mother, therefore, will find it extremely helpful 
to weigh her baby at least once a week during the first 
year. Of course, the experienced mother can judge 
fairly accurately as to the development and the increase 
[ 148 ] 



Type of weighing scale. 













Weight, Growth and Development 


in weight of her baby without resorting to frequent 
weighings, but to those who are rearing their first baby 
this routine is a necessity. 

Even healthy babies do not gain in weight without 
interruption during the first year. It is well to remem¬ 
ber this important fact. For during the extremely hot 
weather, or in some instances during the period of teeth¬ 
ing, there may be periods during which little or no gain 
in weight is made. 

A gain in weight does not always mean that the child 
is developing in all other respects as it should. For 
there must also be a gain in strength, and indications 
of mental development. 

HEIGHT 

It may be well to remember that the average length 
of the new-born baby being about 21 inches, the average 
increase in height during the first year should be 8^/2 
inches. During the second year there should be an addi¬ 
tional growth of about 4 inches. 

Dr. Holt has prepared the following helpful table: 


age weight height chest head girth 


At Birth. 

71/2 Lbs. 

20i/o In. 

13V* In. 

14 

In. 

One Year.... 

21 

Lbs. 

29 

In. 

18 

In. 

18 

In. 

Two Years... 

27 

Lbs. 

32 

In. 

19 

In. 

19 

In. 

Three Years.. 

32 

Lbs. 

35 

In. 

20 

In. 

19i/ 4 in. 

Four Years... 

36 

Lbs. 

38 

In. 

20% In. 

193/ 4 in. 


These weights are without clothes. The weight of 
girls is on the average about one pound less than that 
of boys, although they are of about the same height. 

THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT BABy’s DEVELOPMENT 

The child should begin to hold up its head from 
the third to the fourth month, although naturally the 
[149] 






How to Raise the Baby 


body should be well supported to enable the child to do 
so. 

The first hair of the child frequently comes out after 
about a month and new hair grows in its place. This 
new hair is quite generally of a much lighter hue than 
the hair it replaces. 

Most babies’ eyes are dark blue at birth. They change 
to their permanent color during the first month. 



At first the baby can only distinguish between light • 
and darkness. At about seven weeks of age the eyes 
begin to co-ordinate, and the baby seems to be able to 
notice things more or less intelligently. In about three 
months a normal child should be able to recognize those 
with whom it is brought into familiar contact. 

It is quite likely that the new-born baby is deaf. How¬ 
ever, the function of the ear is very rapidly developed, 
so that the baby begins to notice noises after a very 
[ 150 ] 














































































































Weight, Growth and Development 


short time, although the sense of the direction of these 
sounds does not develop till much later. 

The new-born baby has, as a rule, very little saliva. 
This quantity rapidly increases, however, so much so 
that during the third month there is usually quite a good 
deal of drooling. 


Upper; Incisors- 2 ^- 8 - lOmo. 

C~\_ Upper '-f-\ 

\£J Cdn.ne^i—- l8-*Omo. 

m- PP Mo^r n ^cJ'~ 5 ^- 24 - 30 ^ 0 . 


Lower Incisors 


Lower^^^'v 


lower 
Canine 

i c ) lower Frontal 
(Tj— Molar 

/vxAlower Posierior 
H Molar 



l 5t — 6*8 mo, 
4**_l0-2Omo. 
/2-)4mo. 
-24-30mo 


Diagram showing temporary or “milk” teeth, and order of 
their appearance. 


The color of the baby’s skin at birth varies greatly. 
Dark-skinned children are usually not so brightly pink 
at birth as are the light-skinned children. 

During the first few days of baby’s life it sometimes 

[ 151 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 


develops a jaundiced appearance. Some physicians 
maintain that this is due to cutting the cord too soon; 
others claim that a tight binding of the belly-band may 
produce this result. 

While the average baby is born with a fairly liberal 
coating of fine soft hair over its body this usually soon 
disappears. 

A new-born baby does not usually perspire, but begins 
to do so, as a rule, after the first month. 

Baby usually starts to reach for playthings at about 
five months of age. During the seventh or eighth month 
he is usually able to sit up, and at about the same age 
he begins to creep. 

Normal children attempt to stand alone at about the 
ninth or tenth month. Healthy children can usually 
stand at eleven or twelve months. 

The weight and size of the child have much to do with 
its ability to walk at an early age. Walking ability 
usually develops, however, from the twelfth to the six¬ 
teenth month, although if the child does not walk until 
the fifteenth to the eighteenth month, it is really quite 
early enough. Many children do not learn to walk until 
after they are two years of age, and yet may be per¬ 
fectly healthy. However, if there should be too great 
delay in the matter of walking, strong suspicion as to 
the normal development of the child is justified. 

As every mother will have observed, when babies fall 
during their early efforts at learning to walk, they al¬ 
most invariably fall backwards into a sitting position. 
This is owing to the fact that the muscles in the front 
part of the thigh and leg are considerably weaker than 
those in the back part. 


[ 152 ] 



Upper 


"Butter teeth’ 1 
^/Middle Incisor 


y- Y'Cahme(Eye)^Y^ 
AY' 0 Bicuspid 'jioyr) 
i vM ' 2 '- Bicuspid^'V^j 
dj"VJ Molar 
[Y)~ 2- Molar — 

__ 5*1 Molar - 

(Wisdom teeth) 

Lower 


Middle 

Incisor 

/ Lateral 
■ /Incisor 


[YY \Canine /" 
/yyx fStomach') / na\ 
r I ^/ x riBicuspid / > yr ^ 
2- d Bicuspid' 


'\ 


l s - f Molar 
2^ Molar- 


-3^1 — 5- Molar_ lyr 

^' (wisdom teeth) v 

The permanent teeth—diagram indicat¬ 
ing the ages at which they appear. 

[ 153 ] 


How to Raise the Baby 


It is a fact, also, that practically every child natur¬ 
ally walks pigeon-toed. 

WHEN DOES A CHILD LEARN TO TALK? 

Bright children begin to say words as early as the 
eleventh month, although it is unusual for a child to 
form sentences until he is two years old, or over. 

Many mothers are deluded into thinking that the little 
cooing sounds, expressing comfort and happiness in the 
child, indicate oratorical ability. But this is a delu¬ 
sion prompted by love. 

At the age of six months, or thereabouts, the baby 
usually commences to make different vowel sounds, es¬ 
pecially that of “ah.” A little later, it learns to join 
these with such consonants as “B,” “D,” “P,” “N,” 
“M,” and “J,” as these are the easiest to shape. 

When the baby says “Ma-Ma,” it may be stated that 
he is more interested in food or drink than in his mother, 
although at the age of ten months, or a year, he can 
very distinctly say “Ma-Ma” and “Pa-Pa,” and pos¬ 
sibly some other words, with an appreciative under¬ 
standing of what the words mean. 

The smile of a baby may develop at a very early age. 
In point of fact, many children of a month show their 
pleasure by smiling. Generally, however, the baby does 
not actually laugh until it is five or six months of age, 
and sometimes older. 

WHEN DO THE TEETH APPEAR? 

While some children have been known to have a first 
tooth even at birth, or even to be born with a full set of 
teeth, the average time that the first tooth makes its 
appearance is the seventh month. 

[ 154 ] 



Weight, Growth and Development 


Dr. Richard M. Smith, of Harvard, in “The Baby’s 
First Two Years,” gives the following table showing the 
average order in which the first set of twenty teeth 
appear. 

5- 8 months, the two lower middle incisors. 

8-10 months, the four upper incisors. 

10-11 months, the two lower lateral in¬ 
cisors. 

12-15 months, the four upper and lower for¬ 
ward molars. 

18-20 months, the four canines, the “Eye” 
and “Stomach” teeth. 

24-30 months, the four posterior molars. 

Therefore, at one year a child ordinarily has six 
teeth; at one and a half years, twelve teeth; at two 
years, sixteen teeth; at two and one-half years, twenty 
teeth. 

While the time of appearance of the teeth varies in 
different children, in all conditions in which there is a 
deficiency in lime salts, late dentition is the rule. This 
late dentition may also be manifested as a result of 
prolonged anemia, rickets which results from deficiency 
of mineral salts or vitamines, or other severe nutritional 
disorders. 


WHEN BABY FIRST SITS UP 

After the seventh or eighth month, the healthy baby is 
quite generally able to sit up and support his own body. 
At the ninth or tenth month he may make attempts to 
support his weight on his own feet; while at a year or 
thereabouts, he should, if healthy and normal, be able 
to stand alone, after which he will gradually develop 
[155] 



How to Raise the Baby 


locomotive ability. At fifteen or sixteen months, he will 
usually be able to walk without assistance. 

There should be no undue haste about encouraging a 
child to walk. Therefore none of the contrivances 
recommended to help teach a child to walk should have 
a place in your home. If he is able, he will do it of his 
own accord. And if he is not, he may develop “bow¬ 
legs” from too early use of these members. 

There is no material gain in bringing about a pre¬ 
cocious development of a child, either physically or men¬ 
tally. Aid your child to get a normal, firm foothold 
upon life, and when this is assured you can be certain 
that growth and development will be natural and 
sufficient. 


[ 156 ] 



CHAPTER XIV 


Physical Culture in Infancy 

“Warm and rippling sunshine thrills me 
Through and through, 

While tumbling about in the clear, fresh air 
Keeps me happy, too.” 

F ROM earliest infancy, baby’s daily outing should be 
considered as of no less importance than food, sleep, 
or bathing. It should be taken regularly at the same 
hour, and if the weather interferes, the windows of the 
nursery should be opened, and the baby’s wraps put on 
as if he were going out in reality. 

THE BEST TIME FOR THE MORNING AIRING 

The best time for the morning airing is between half 
past ten and noon, when the needed warmth and sun¬ 
shine can be obtained. 

After baby has breakfasted, napped and bathed, he is 
ready to enjoy his outing, and when it is over he will be 
ready to take his midday meal with a relish such as no 
little one can possibly know who is cooped indoors from 
morning until night. 

It is well, if it can be arranged, that the airing be 
repeated in the afternoon. In fact baby should live in 
the open air as much as possible. In the city, or in cases 
where the sole care of the infant devolves upon a mother 
who has her household duties to attend to in addition, 
it is not always an easy matter to do this. But she 
should, if possible, sacrifice other things for this all- 
[157] 


How to Raise the Baby 


important duty, as the good accruing from it to her off¬ 
spring will repay her a thousandfold. 

If the home has a veranda or balcony, the child 
should live practically out of doors when the weathei 
permits. This will encourage him to grow and thrive 
at an amazing rate. The white, puny babies that we 
so constantly meet are the result of air starvation as 
much as anything else. 

THE HEALTH-GIVING AIR AND SUN BATH 

Having dwelt at some length on the efficacy of pure 
air, water and proper diet, I now wish to call special 
attention to the incalculable benefits to be derived from 
the air bath, or better still, the sun and air bath. 

If your habitation and environment permit of your 
being bountifully supplied with sunshine, it should liter¬ 
ally permeate your little one’s being, and in due course 
of time, you will be the possessor of a baby with a 
“sunny disposition.” 

What mother has not remarked baby’s unbounded de¬ 
light when his clothes are removed, and he is permitted 
to revel in the sun, to stretch his unhampered limbs while 
he kicks and crows with sheer joy? 

No better place for this air and sun bath can be found 
for the very young infant than mother’s bed, if it is a 
double one, with a good spring and mattress. On this 
bed you may place a rubber sheet, covered with a cotton 
sheet, pinned down firmly at the four corners. 

Thus, provided against accidents, and being entirely 
nude, and not even hampered by a napkin (for be the 
latter ever so small and snug it is bound to hinder his 
enjoyment to a greater or lesser degree), baby will begin 
[158] 






Ready for the daily air bath and exercise 

[ 159 ] 









How to Raise the Baby 


a sunshine frolic. The windows should be closed at first, 
the room well ventilated, as always, and the temperature 
from 80 to 85 degrees. 

Begin with an exposure of but a few moments, so that 
there may be no fatigue or sunburn, and increase the 
time daily. 


LET IN THE AIR GRADUALLY 

If the weather is mild open the windows a trifle, and 
enlarge the opened space daily until baby has uncon¬ 
sciously acquired the fresh-air habit, to which we sin¬ 
cerely hope he is to be an ardent devotee throughout 
his entire life. 

As baby gets older, a mattress placed upon the floor 
gives him still greater freedom and admits of no danger 
of a fall. 

The baby’s unhampered kicking and tossing during 
these baths will give him all the exercise he needs for a 
while, particularly if you have accustomed him to the 
face-downward position; but by degrees you may teach 
him other movements. 

Froebel, the father of the kindergarten, tells us that 
the first movement to be taught a baby should be one 
suggesting freedom of action, and that it should be 
taught in much the same way that the mother bird 
teaches her young to fly. The birdlings are gently 
thrust from a bough, at some safe height, and allowed 
to flutter gently through space, experiencing for the first 
time that joyous sensation of independence which is not 
only a delight but the source from which self-reliance 
springs. 


[ 160 ] 



Physical Culture in Infancy 


THE FIRST EXERCISE 

Something of the same sort may be done with the 
baby, by taking hold of his thumbs, raising him from 
his back to a half-sitting position, then gently releasing 
your hold and allowing him to drop back on the bed. At 
first he may exhibit astonishment, or alarm, or fear, or 
perhaps injured innocence. But after repeating the 
action several times, he will begin to beam with delight. 
If your bed has a good spring in it, he may rebound a 
bit at each drop. This affords him pleasure, as well 
as healthful exercise. 

Be careful, however, never to allow him to become 
wearied with his exertions. Give him only a few moments 
of the exercise to begin with. Later he will learn to an¬ 
ticipate and long for it, and in an amazingly short time 
he will, when lying unattended on his bed, exercise him¬ 
self in an interesting and surprising way. 

Baby will undoubtedly warm up with this play work, 
but should he for some reason of backwardness fail to 
do so, give him a good brisk rub for a minute or two be¬ 
fore he dons his clothes, or before he is tucked into bed. 

The only time at which these exercises should not be 
given is just after he has been fed. 

As the child grows older the combination romp and 
sun bath may be extended to a period of several hours. 
This is particularly important if you live in the city 
where the child has no opportunity for outdoor play. 

If you are fortunate enough to be the occupant of a 
house, go up to the attic, on bright mornings, and throw 
open the windows so that sunshine and fresh air may fill 
the room. If you are in a flat, roll the shades as high 
as possible in the sunniest room, and open the windows 
[ 161 ] 


12 



BABY’S FIRST EXERCISE. 

First position. Raise baby to sitting position; then gently 
release your hold (see next illustration). 


[ 162 ] 







BABY’S FIRST EXERCISE. 

Second position. On releasing your hold, baby will drop 
back on pillow. At first he may exhibit fear or injured inno¬ 
cence, but after a few attempts he will beam with delight. 

[163] 




How to Raise the Baby 


wide. Bring the little one in, strip off all his clothing, 
and let him play, with the fresh air and the sun’s rays 
directly on his skin. 

Children who stay indoors a great deal are apt to be 
nervous and irritable. They have unpleasant dreams, 
they are troubled with indigestion, and perhaps have no 
appetite, and are not at any time the happy little mor¬ 
tals that Nature meant them to be. An air and sun 
bath combined with a romp will tend to correct this, and 
make even a little half invalid, a rosy-cheeked, healthy, 
joyous youngster. 

If thus encouraged, a child will exercise every muscle 
of its body, while harboring no idea save that of having 
a jolly time. 

If grown people would only copy the spontaneity of 
youth, if they would only forget for the time the con¬ 
ventionality that holds them down and keeps them 
from doing that which they are naturally prompted to 
do, they would win back much of the grace of child¬ 
hood. 

WHY BABIES ARE MORE GRACEFUL THAN GROWN-UPS 

It is a remarkable fact that all the animals in the 
world, except the human kind, are more graceful in 
movement and beautiful in body when mature than in 
early life, but with human beings there is less ease of 
movement and beauty of form in the full-grown person 
than in the undeveloped child. In other words, we are 
educated away from, instead of toward, physical per¬ 
fection. This passing of physical charms should not be. 
It is one of the terribly destructive results of the abnor¬ 
mal conditions of our environments, and can be largely 
[164] 




Exercise 2. Flex arms of the baby, alternating right and left, 
and bringing hands up as close as possible to the shoulders. 

[165] 






How to Raise the Baby 


prevented by proper attention to physical culture in 
infancy and childhood. 

OVERCOMING NERVOUSNESS WITH SUNLIGHT AND 
FRESH AIR 

The effect of sun and air on the nervous system is 
more marked than can well be explained. Probably the 
effect of clothing is greater than we realize. Anyway, a 
free supply of light and air will relieve nervous tension 
when nothing else will. May we not suppose that the 
direct sunshine which is quite necessary for the perfect 
growth of plants, is also necessary for the best devel¬ 
opment of human beings? 

A further effect of air and sunshine on the human 
body is to stimulate the eliminating glands in the skin 
to normal action, regulate circulation and give general 
tone and strength to the entire system. It also stim¬ 
ulates the terminals of those nerves which regulate the 
production of heat in the body. 

This wonderful heat-generating function of the human 
body is normally so regulated that during changes in 
temperature corresponding changes take place, within 
certain limits, in the body, causing its temperature to 
remain the same. But because we live in overheated 
houses, and wear too many clothes, this power has been 
lost to such an extent that most of us cannot com¬ 
fortably endure changes of temperature. 

There is no doubt that the baby’s resistance to all 
forms of infantile disorders could be very largely 
augmented by rational methods of physical culture, and 
there is no doubt that sun and air baths are among the 
most valuable of these influences. They have a normal 
[ 166 ] 





Exercise 3. From position at shoulders bring arms down¬ 
ward to sides. 

Exercise 4. From same position raise arms upward above 
head. Baby may resist movement, which will result in the 
more vigorous exercise of his muscles. Never be rough nor 
use undue force. 

[1677 





How to Raise the Baby 


“hardening” effect upon the child, which enables it to 
resist illness and discomforts. 

HOW AIR BATHS HELP OVERCOME COLDS 

A child who is subject to colds and sore throat in fall, 
winter and spring should be treated for this condition in 
summer by means of sun and air baths. The system 
may be put in such condition that a perfect response to 
changes of temperature will be induced. Then there need 
be no fear of colds, and the child may play out of doors 
all the year round in all kinds of weather. 

The great value of the air bath is now beginning to 
be recognized by parents who are giving thought to the 
health and strength of their offspring. If introduced 
into the daily life of the child, no matter at what period, 
it will favor the development of a strong, firm skin, ca¬ 
pable of withstanding sudden changes of temperature 
from one year’s end to the other. 

Dr. Charles E. Page, of Boston, says that nakedness 
and the movements of the four-footed animal, rather 
than those of the upright human animal, are the proper 
conditions for a young baby. Of course most quadru¬ 
peds are covered with fur or hair, but Dr. Page points 
out that the hairless animals go equally naked, and are 
more long-lived than the fur-bearing species. The long¬ 
est-lived of all are elephants, quite hairless. The mam¬ 
moth, which was heavily covered with hair, became 
extinct. 

“Babies are truly four-legged animals, the same as 
kittens,” says Dr. Page, “and if given the same chance 
for exercise, will develop similarly, growing perfectly 
supple and strong. Placed face downward, they creep 
[ 168 ] 





Exercise 5. From position at chest, bring arms outward at 

side. 


[ 169 ] 





How to Raise the Baby 


about the house, instead of growing fat, soft and ill- 
conditioned, and are not apt to die early in life. 

“A baby in embryo and at birth is nothing less than 
a quadruped, as the construction and position of the 
pelvic organs of adults prove. The pelvic organs should 
rest on the floor, the floor acting as the abdominal wall, 
instead of hanging as they do when erect. Erectness 
means a sagging of the intestines, in combination with 
weak and flabby abdominal muscles, and becomes the 
chief cause for hernia and floating kidneys, as well as a 
number of pelvic inflammations, kidney disorders and 
backaches. 

“Only man among mammals sits, which causes a sag¬ 
ging of his intestinal organs; in bearing the weight of 
the body on the base of the spine, he inevitably embar¬ 
rasses the normal action of the nerves and circulation 
from the trunk to the lower limbs, thereby causing con¬ 
gestion and often complete and permanent compression 
in some part of the sympathetic nerve system.” 

HOW TO PREVENT SAGGING OF THE INTERNAL ORGANS 

“Naturally enough, the earlier in life the abnormal 
position of sitting is adopted and the more continually 
it is practiced, the more serious the later results must 
be. It is all wrong for mothers or others to hold babies 
on their laps in a sitting position. A baby should al¬ 
ways be held face down. 

“Another serious menace to the lives of babes is over¬ 
clothing. Mothers or attendants fearfully overclothe 
them, with fold after fold of flannel, and wraps over 
wraps, until the skin, infinitely porous and a true 
respiratory organ, thus bandaged tightly, ceases to 
[170] 





[ 171 ] 


Exercise 6. Let baby reach for some toy far to one side, straight upward and overhead and to 
the other side; also swing the toy across the body and down toward the feet and let baby reach 
for it in all positions. A good exercise for most of the muscles, especially those of the abdomen, 

sides, chest and shoulders. 







Exercise 7. When the child is in a playful mood it will be easy to get it to kick up at your hands 

with one foot or both. This greatly strengthens the abdominal corset. 











Exercise 8. Swing a bright-colored toy from side to side just 
out of baby’s reach, and let baby try to grasp it. It may also 
be swung from far forward to overhead, so the child will look 
straight up. Even a circular motion overhead may be made. 
Excellent for developing neck, back, shoulders and chest. 

[ 173 ] 





[ 174 ] 


Exercise 9. Jingle the toy to one side and then to the other, and swing it across from side to side 
overhead and somewhat in front of the child. If he can be induced to reach for the toy the bene¬ 
fits may be increased. This exercise is excellent for the neck, shoulders, arms, back, hips, legs 

and abdomen of the baby—in fact, for almost the entire body. 











Physical Culture in Infancy 


breathe, and baby smothers. The capillary blood-vessels 
are unable to excrete carbonic-acid gas or to absorb 
oxygen. 

“During the first ten or twelve years, children should 
go barefooted indoors, and as much as possible outdoors, 
particularly during the warm months. Indoors they 
should go naked as much as possible, and outdoors as 
scantily clad as possible.” 



Exercise 10. The bright or jingling toy is held back of the 
child and somewhat to one side. It may be swung across 
to the other side directly overhead, or somewhat p* front 
or even to the rear of the child’s head, but always within the 
range of vision. Good for neck, back and abdominal muscles. 


[175] 








How to Raise the Baby 


WHAT PHYSICAL CULTURE EXERCISE CONSISTS OF 

There is a great deal of general misconception as to 
just what constitutes physical culture exercise. 

As I conceive it, physical culture exercise, whether 
for infants or adults, consists not of haphazard 
motions of the limbs and body, but of movements each of 
which is for the purpose of strengthening a specific 
muscle or group of muscles. 

In the case of babies, the system is modified to meet 
the special needs of their gelatinous muscles, soft bones 
and relatively weak ligaments, so that the most timid 



Exercise 11. Excellent for strengthening baby’s entire spine, 
from neck to hips. A toy or object that attracts baby’s atten¬ 
tion is held high and to one side, and swung to the opposite 
side so that baby’s head turns completely from side to side. 
Continue for a few movements or as long as baby will watch. 

[176] 








Physical Culture in Infancy 


of parents can use it without fear of its harming their 
little ones. 

GIVE THE CHILD A CHANCE TO KICK AND SQUIRM 

Thanks to Nature, the desire for activity in a child 
is too strong to be curbed. By kicking and squirming, 
and swinging his arms, he gradually gains enough 
strength to crawl. 

After indulging in the delight of this new-found free¬ 
dom for a while, and after repeated experiments in the 
art of balancing, sufficient strength and skill are ac¬ 
quired to walk. 

Every child practices physical culture, and in the 
proportion that children are encouraged in their nat¬ 
ural desire for exercise, so will they improve in health, 
strength, symmetry and beauty of body. 

MOST CHILDREN POSSESS WELL-SHAPED BODIES 

There are but few children between the ages of, say 
one and eight or ten years of age, who do not possess 
well-shaped bodies. They have nothing else to do but 
to play, and there is no better physical culture than 
active play. 

If you have a child who is not able to find companions 
of his own age ready and willing to run, wrestle, jump, 
push and pull, it is your duty to become a child your¬ 
self, and thus give its little body the exercise so neces¬ 
sary to its development. 

NUDE PHOTOGRAPHS TO SHOW THE DEVELOPMENT 
OF YOUR CHILD 

One of the best ways to determine the development of 
the physique of your child is to keep a series of nude 




How to Raise the Baby 


photographs taken at three or four months’ intervals. 
As every mother knows, there is a very definite amount 
of “disguise” in the sometimes voluminous garments that 
young children wear. 

Therefore, in order to note the development of the en¬ 
tire body, and especially of the thorax, nothing could be 
better than to pose the little one “in the altogether,” 
carefully marking each photograph with the date on 
which it is taken. 

A series of comparative photographs of this nature 
will constitute the surest possible index as to the normal 
progress of your child toward rugged, beautiful ma¬ 
turity, and will besides be a source of pleasure to your¬ 
self and your friends. Even the most prudish cannot 
refuse to admire a nude child body, a combination of 
the physically perfect with the morally untainted. 


[178] 




CHAPTER XV 


Baby’s First Steps 


“How careful should the parents be 
The better part to choose, 

Since e’en the baby in the house 
Is walking in their shoes.” 

HEN the time comes that baby, tiring of scram- 



V V bling and creeping, attempts to toddle across the 
room on a couple of very uncertain legs, his mother must 
exercise great caution lest the efforts of the child work 
him irreparable harm. Do not, as you wish for beauti¬ 
ful, straight, well-developed limbs, try to hurry or urge 
baby to stand or to walk before he is fully prepared by 
Nature with the means to the end in question. 

Remember that his bones are as yet soft and yielding, 
and if he be allowed too soon to put the weight of his 
body upon them, just so surely will they yield to that 
weight, and become hoop-like, or “bowed,” instead of 
straight and perfect members, as Nature intended them 
to be- 


TO PREVENT 


BOW-LEGS 


So will baby carry through life a deformity which 
will surely be a constant rebuke to his mother on 
the score of either her neglect or her vanity, the one 
equalling the other in its disastrous consequences. She 
may have failed to check his locomotive precocity, or, 
through motherly false pride have encouraged him to 
walk at too early an age. I beg of you not to rob your 
child thus of his right to comeliness, and so cast a 
shadow over his maturity. In later years no reproach 


How to Raise the Baby 


may ever fall from his lips, but do not doubt that, al¬ 
though his love for you may prompt him to suffer in 
silence, the sting of his misshaping will rankle in his soul 
throughout life. 

Exercise his little legs regularly and perseveringly, 
but never permit him to bear his full weight upon them 
all at once. Let the pressure upon them be very grad¬ 
ual, and allow weeks or months to pass before he really 
walks unaided. 

In any event, let the attempt to stand be made on the 
volition of the baby and not as the result of a suggestion 
from the mother. 

LET HIM DEVELOP HIMSELF 

When the wee man tries to lift himself up by the 
bedpost, the chair, the wall, or mother’s knee, let him 
emulate the example of Robert Bruce and the spider, and 
through constant effort he will succeed at last. His 
incidental tumbles will not hurt him a bit, for his little 
bones are soft and his muscles elastic, so that he prac¬ 
tically rebounds unhurt from whatever he lands on. 

If the nursery is furnished as simply as has been ad¬ 
vised, there will be but few corners to give him ugly 
knocks and bruises, while his constant exercising will 
strengthen him and develop his powers of resistance so 
thoroughly that his little falls will soon be borne with 
Spartan courage. 

What has been said of baby’s legs applies equally to 
his growth in general. Let such growth be slow and 
sure, so that no power is overtaxed, and each part ex¬ 
pands and develops with equalized strength and beauty. 

So shall there develop the perfect man. 

[180] 



PART II 

After the First Year 










CHAPTER XVI 


Common Sense in Selecting Foods 

“The dun cow’s milk is in thy cup— 

Rest, little one, rest; 

Thou mayst drink when the morning star is up— 

Rest, little one, rest.” 

—Mary F. Butts. 

T HE correct feeding of children is based on princi¬ 
ples which are in some ways quite different from 
those governing the feeding of adults. These distinc¬ 
tions are due chiefly to the fact that the children grow, 
while adults do not. 

This fact of growth is exceedingly important and 
must never be overlooked. It is a general law of life 
that the primary business of the young creature is to 
grow. In some species the growing period is distinctly 
marked off from the period of maturity. For instance, 
young bees, the larvse as they are called, are fed on 
“bee-bread” made from the pollen of the flowers, and 
rich in protein. When they have gone through the 
transformation stage and come out as adult insects, 
they cease entirely to eat their former food; in fact, 
they are incapable of doing so. The adult bee lives on 
honey, which is almost wholly a fuel food. In the case 
of some insects whose adult life is briefer, no food what¬ 
ever is taken during this period. 

In the higher animals there is no such sharp line of 
demarcation between the period of growth and that of 
maturity; but the nutritional laws which apply to these 
periods in insect life are also applicable, to a certain ex¬ 
tent, to the higher species. 

[183] 


How to Raise the Baby 


CHILDREN LOSE HEAT FASTER THAN ADULTS 

In addition to the growth factor, there are certain 
other differences between childhood and maturity. The 
body of a child being smaller than that of the adult, its 
surface is greater in proportion to its weight, and there¬ 
fore the loss of heat through radiation is proportion¬ 
ately greater. The pulse in childhood is more rapid, and 
the speed of the general physiological activities is 
greater. These facts, together with the fact of growth, 
make it necessary for the child to consume more food in 
proportion to its weight than the adult. In fact, this 
ratio of food consumption to weight is three times as 
great for a young child as for the adult. 

A further distinction between childhood and matur¬ 
ity, and one that is made even greater by conditions of 
civilization, is that the child is physically more active. 
In fact, the normal, healthy child, given proper facili¬ 
ties for play, prefers to be physically active during all 
its waking hours. 

CHILDREN REQUIRE FOOD OFTENER THAN ADULTS 

Because of their smaller bodies, greater physiological 
activity and larger nutritive requirements, children 
need food more frequently than adults. The conven¬ 
tional three-meals-a-day schedule often means too fre¬ 
quent eating for the adult, but is usually ideal for the 
child. 

Children are frequently under-nourished. Among the 
poorer classes this is, of course, often due to an insuf¬ 
ficient supply of food, but among both the poor and the 
prosperous, it frequently results from an improper se¬ 
lection of food. As with adults, so with children; they 
[184] 



Common Sense in Selecting Foods 


may eat plenty and still be underfed. Moreover, they 
may be fat and still be underfed with those elements es¬ 
sential to health, vitality and proper growth. 

MALNUTRITION AND ITS CAUSES 

Most alarming facts have recently been brought to 
light in regard to this question of the proper nourish¬ 
ment of children. Malnutrition and under-nourishment 
are the most serious conditions that can affect a grow¬ 
ing child, and this crime against childhood is one of the 
most terrible evils of human society. 

For the child it means the stunting of growth, impair¬ 
ment of health and lessened resistance to disease, and 
particularly encourages a predisposition to tubercu¬ 
losis. In America today, every seventh child dies before 
the end of the first year, and two of the remaining six 
die before reaching maturity—and America is perhaps 
the best-fed nation in the world. 

In some of the poorer districts of our large cities, as 
many as seventy per cent of the children are found to 
be suffering from malnutrition. Not so many are actu¬ 
ally underfed as are improperly fed. Even in the most 
fashionable schools in well-to-do neighborhoods, forty 
per cent of the children have been found suffering from 
malnutrition. All these children had more than enough 
food placed before them three times a day, but it was 
not of the proper quality, or the children did not eat 
enough, because they were pampered, under-exercised, or 
their appetites ruined by indulgence in improper foods. 

As with infants so with older children, their weight 
is a fair index to their nutritive condition. Once ma¬ 
turity is reached, there should be little change in body 
[185] 



How to Raise the Baby 


weight; but the child constantly growing, should be com 
stantly increasing its weight, and any deviation from the 
normal rate of increase calls for investigation. Hence 
the importance of knowing what this rate is in the av¬ 
erage case. The following table gives the figures up to 
the age of nineteen. 


AVERAGE RATE OF WEIGHT-INCREASE IN 
CHILDREN 



BOYS 

GIRLS 


Pounds 

Pounds 

First year . 

. 13 


13 

Second year . 

5 


5 

Third year . 



4y 2 

Fourth year . 

. 4 ~ 


4 

Fifth year . 



4 

Sixth year . 

. 4 


4 

Seventh year. .. 

4 


4 

Eighth year . 

• 4y 2 


4% 

Ninth year . 

5 


4y 2 

Tenth year........ . 

* 


5 

Eleventh year . 

• 


6 

Twelfth year . 

. 6 


8 

Thirteenth year . 

7 


11 

Fourteenth year . 

9 


11 

Fifteenth year . 

. 12 


9 

Sixteenth year . 

. 15 


6 

Seventeenth year . 

. 11 


4 

Eighteenth year . 

6 


3 

Nineteenth year . 

. 4 


2 

But the weight does not tell the whole story. 

If the 

increase were always that of vital 

tissue, 

no 

further 

figures would be needed ; but children can 

gain 

weight 


without actually growing. Similarly, if past accumu¬ 


lations of fat are being lost, they may grow while their 
weight is decreasing. It is therefore advisable to have 
on hand a table of normal average heights and weights 
in relation to age. Such a table follows. 


[186] 






















Common Sense in Selecting Foods 


HEIGHT AND WEIGHT TABLE FOR GIRLS 


a5+ - w n u f ard normal u weight for a girl is found where the horizontal column oppo- 
I f Y e . rt * cal column under her age.* Illustration: The standard 

weight for a girl 50 inches high and 9 years old is 59 pounds. 


H tn 

ffi W 
o B 

M rj 

w £ 

HH 

HH HH 

! 5 Yrs. 

pH 

to 

go 

3 

pH 

1- 

8 Yrs. 

9 Yrs. 

10 Yrs. 

GO 

PS 

pH 

rH 

CO 

PS 

CM 

13 Yrs. 

14 Yrs. 

15 Yrs. 

— 

16 Yrs. 

17 Yrs. 

GO 

PS 

PH 

qo 

rH 

39 

34 

35 












— 

40 

35 

37 

38 












41 

39 

39 

40 












42 

41 

42 

42 












43 

43 

44 

44 

44 











44 

45 

46 

46 

46 











45 


47 

47 

47 











46 


48 

49 

50 

52 










47 


49 

50 

51 

53 










48 



52 

53 

54 

55 









49 



54 

55 

56 

57 









50 




57 

59 

60 

60 








51 




60 

61 

62 

63 








52 




63 

65 

66 

67 

67 







53 





68 

68 

68 

69 







54 





71 

70 

71 

71 

72 






55 






73 

72 

73 

74 

75 





56 






77 

76 

77 

77 

79 





57 






81 

79 

79 

82 

85 

88 




58 







83 

85 

88 

89 

94 

96 



59 








89 

94 

94 

99 

100 

102 


60 








93 

99 

99 

103 

105 

107 


61 








. • • 

102 

103 

106 

109 

110 

112 

62 









107 

107 

110 

112 

113 

115 

63 









• • • 

110 

114 

115 

116 

118 

64 









. • . 

• • . 

118 

120 

121 

123 

65 












124 

126 

128 

66 


• • • 










127 

129 

130 


*Note—The age is taken at the nearest birthday. 

Only scales with bar and weights should be used. Spring scales with dial face 
are not very durable and are likely to get out of order soon. 

Measurements for height should be taken with the child standing with feet close 
together and close against the measuring rod, or a measuring tape may be tacked 
against a wall and a book placed on the child’s head, edgewise, to mark his height. 


[ 187 ] 











































































How to Raise the Baby 


HEIGHT AND WEIGHT TABLE FOR BOYS 


The standard or normal weight for a boy is found where the horizontal column 
opposite his height crosses the vertical column under his age. Illustration: i e 
standard weight for a boy 57 inches high and 13 years old is 83 pounds. 



T 









05 

05 

05* 

05 

05* 

a w 

3 X 

ai 

i* 

W 

Ph 

£ 

05 

PH 

05 

Ph 

05 

P< 

PS 

i* 

O 

ps 

ps 

(M 

PS 

CO 

PS 

a 

>< 

io 

PS 

CO 

Oh 

PS 

CO 

i-4 h-i 

rc 

CO 


oo 

CS 

rH 

rH 

rH 


rH 

rH 

rH 



39 

35 

36 













40 

37 

38 













41 

39 

40 

41 












42 

41 

42 

43 












43 

43 

44 

44 

46 











44 

45 

45 

46 

47 











45 

47 

47 

47 

48 











46 


49 

50 

51 

52 










47 

• • • 

51 

52 

53 

54 










48 

| 

53 

54 

55 

55 










49 


• • • 

56 

57 

57 

57 









50 


. • • 

57 

58 

59 

59 









51 


• • 

• • • 

60 

61 

62 

62 








52 



• • • 

63 

64 

65 

65 








53 



• • • 

66 

67 

68 

68 

68 







54 





70 

71 

71 

72 







55 





73 

74 

75 

76 

76 






56 





77 

77 

79 

79 

80 






57 






80 

81 

82 

83 

84 





58 






83 

84 

85 

87 

88 





59 







87 

88 

89 

91 

92 




60 







89 

91 

92 

94 

95 




61 








95 

97 

99 

102 

104 



62 








98 

102 

104 

107 

109 



63 









106 

108 

112 

114 

116 


64 









112 

115 

117 

119 

121 

123 

65 










120 

122 

124 

125 

127 

66 










124 

127 

129 

131 

133 

67 











131 

133 

135 

137 

68 











135 

137 

139 

141 

69 



1 








139 

140 

142 

144 

70 












144 

146 

148 

71 












148 

150 

152 

72 



1 









151 

154 

157 

73 













159 

162 


[ 188 ] 






























































































Common Sense in Selecting Foods 


CHILDREN CRAVE VARIETY IN THEIR DIET 

The children need a variety of natural foods; they 
tire quickly of the monotonous and prescribed diets. A 
child is usually told to eat what is set before him. Hence 
if he does not like this particular food, he does not eat 
enough, or makes up the deficiency by a raid on the jam 
pots, or a trip to the candy store. A child has a right 
to say something regarding the selection and prepar¬ 
ation of his food. 

Many parents will resent this statement, on the 
ground that the child’s ignorance renders him incapable 
of deciding such a matter. But a parent should remem¬ 
ber that a child’s appetite is guided, if the child be nor¬ 
mal, by the needs of its body. The parent should by all 
means select the child’s food, and try to train him in his 
likes and dislikes if his appetite seems abnormal; but the 
child should never be forced to eat food that is dis¬ 
tasteful. Too often he will go hungry if this is 
attempted. 

One can err either by acceding to an acquired taste 
for deficient foods, or by attempting to force the child 
to eat foods for which he has no appetite. The prob¬ 
lem is one that requires tact and patience, as well as 
intelligence. The solution may usually be found in the 
use of menus that offer a goodly number of natural and 
wholesome foods, a sufficient proportion of which the 
child has learned to eat with relish. 

BASICALLY IMPORTANT FOODS 

There are a few foods, of course, which are so basi¬ 
cally important that they cannot be omitted from the 
diet. First among these is milk, which should form the 
[189] 



How to Raise the Baby 


bulk of the diet up to ten years, or better still up to the 
twentieth year. This food is the child’s chief dependence 
for the protein which builds its muscles and other soft 
tissues, the calcium for bone formation and the protec¬ 
tive vitamines, though it must be remembered that milk 
is not needed with full, hearty meals, in which a large 
variety of other wholesome food has been furnished. Use 
milk only with “light” meals, composed preferably of 
sweet fruits. 

The leafy vegetables are not so important to the child 
as they are to the adult; they should not, however, be 
neglected in the child’s diet. The practice of giving chil¬ 
dren well-cooked spinach as soon as they are able to 
masticate it well has been widely adopted, and with ex¬ 
cellent results in the case of such children as are below 
their normal nutritive condition. The spinach should 
be steamed rather than boiled, since it loses less mineral 
salts in steaming. Feeding spinach juice may be begun 
at the age of one year, if the child is not thriving. A 
tablespoonful a day may be given at this age, and the 
amount may be gradually increased if the child learns to 
like it. 

Tender salads with simple dressings should form part 
of the diet. Cooked greens, especially cooked cabbage, 
are not so digestible. The tender leaves of raw cab¬ 
bage can be especially commended and should come 
later. 


PLENTY OF FRUIT 

Fruit, as well as vegetables, should be plentifully 
used in the child’s diet. Oranges or other acid fruit 
should be given daily. Prune pulp and apple sauce 
[190] 



Common Sense in Selecting Foods 


may be added at quite an early age. As soon as the 
child has learned to chew his food carefully, the sweet 
fruits, preferably raisins, or Persian dates, may be 
freely given him, and should be used to replace store 
candies. 

Nuts, which require very thorough mastication and 
are not very easy to digest, should be added to the diet 
gradually, from the fifth to the tenth year. They should 
always be served as part of the meal, not as tidbits after 
it, as they are highly concentrated. 

The chief reliance for much of the fuel foods required 
by the child must necessarily be the natural cereals. 
These are also useful for the prevention of constipa¬ 
tion. 

The meals should be limited to three a day, and the 
baneful practice of “piecing” between meals should by 
all means be avoided. This is one of the principal causes 
of children’s ailments. The stomach needs regular rest, 
and when it starts to digest it should be allowed to con¬ 
tinue the process without interruption by the addition of 
more food. 

There are only two exceptions to this rule. A child 
that does not seem to be sufficiently nourished can have 
a glass of milk before retiring and an hour before each 
meal, and acid fruits, such as oranges, apples, pears, 
pineapples, peaches, can be taken at almost any time 
when they are desired, in moderate quantities. The de¬ 
sire for fruits shortly after a meal frequently indicates 
the need for additional acid to help digest it. There¬ 
fore, you can safely follow the instincts of a child in 
its desire for them. 


[191] 




How to Raise the Baby 


don’t encourage a child to eat beyond the demand 

OF ITS APPETITE 

The appetite should not be “tickled,” and a child 
should not be encouraged to eat beyond its appetite. 
Many parents are inclined to worry if a child seems to 
lose its appetite. This should cause no concern whatso¬ 
ever, for if the dictates of the stomach are followed, it 
will come back to its “feed” within a reasonable time. 

Have no fear whatever that your child will be led into 
a harmful fast by its natural instinct. Most children 
of our middle-class families have never, I believe, had the 
genuine luxury of a real hunger appetite, nor of a 
health-building, blood-purifying fast. Overzealous par¬ 
ents cater to the capricious appetites that were made 
abnormal in infancy and all through younger childhood, 
and give them all they want of harmful dainties and 
foods that “stick to the ribs,” and then forbid them to 
fast. 

One of my usual practices, when a child loses its appe¬ 
tite, is to feed nothing but acid fruit for a day or two. 
After this, as a rule, a child will keenly enjoy more solid 
foods. 

A still better plan, in many cases, when the appetite 
has been lost for a few days, is to put the child on an 
exclusive milk diet, giving it nothing but whole, sweet 
milk. The milk should be given about every hour during 
the day and the child allowed to take as much as it may 
desire at this time. The one-hour interval need not be 
adhered to too rigidly. If it is stretched to one and a 
half or two hours, no harm will be done. No other food 
should be allowed except acid fruit. 

Many parents have an idea that a child cannot be 

[192] 



Common Sense in Selecting Foods 


thoroughly nourished on milk. This is a mistake, as 
milk, with no other food, will nourish a child indefinitely. 
In fact, an occasional change from solid food to a milk 
diet is usually beneficial to a child, as it is to an adult. 

I have known many cases in which children have been 
able to gain weight and strength from a milk diet. When 
a child does not seem to grow satisfactorily, a milk diet 
given for three or four days, about twice a month, 
often results in a very material gain. 

One of the most helpful publications on the subject 
of food for children is the Bulletin issued by the Chief 
of the Office of Home Economics, under the direction of 
United States Department of Agriculture. It deals 
with the dietary care of children from two to eight 
years of age. According to this bulletin a child of the 
age under consideration should receive every day at 
least one food from each of the following groups: 

1 Milk and dishes made chiefly of milk (most 
important of the group as regards children s 
diet); meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and meat sub¬ 
stitutes. 

2. Bread and other cereal foods. 

3. Butter and other wholesome fats. 

4. Vegetables and fruits. 

5. Simple sweets. 

A QUART OF MILK A DAY 

All authorities agree that the basis of a child’s diet 
should be clean whole milk, of which it should have about 
a quart a day. Such milk contains, in addition to water, 
about half a cupful of the very best food substances— 
butterfat, milk sugar, lime and other materials needed 
by the child to make muscle, bones and teeth. In addi¬ 
tion, milk contains all of the mysterious vitamines, with- 
[193] 


14 




How to Raise the Baby 


out which the other food elements are useless. Clean, 
fresh skim-milk supplies all of these substances with 
the exception of the butterfat, and is, of course, 
preferable to dirty or questionable whole milk. Its de¬ 
ficiencies can be made up from other sources, green veg¬ 
etables and egg yolks furnishing missing vitamines and 
part of the fat needed. 

Milk, however, contains comparatively little iron. 
Therefore spinach and other green vegetables and egg 
yolks, all rich in iron, combine well with milk and should 
be included in the diet of the older child. 

The child will want to take some of his milk 
“straight.” The rest can be given with cereals, and in 
milk toast, cocoa, milk soups and stews, cereal pud¬ 
dings, egg and milk puddings, custards, junkets, or 
simple ice creams. Milk stews may be made with vege¬ 
tables or fish, or, to vary the diet, these things can be 
combined with cream and served on milk toast. Milk 
served as a beverage should have the chill taken off. 

BREAD AND CEREALS 

Well-baked whole-wheat bread and thoroughly cooked 
breakfast cereals are both good for children, and with 
milk, should make up a large part of the diet. Bread is, 
to a certain extent, interchangeable with cereal mushes, 
but neither can take the place of milk, meat, eggs, fruits 
and vegetables. An ordinary slice of bread is equal in 
food value to about half a cupful of boiled or steamed 
cereal, and about a cupful of puffed cereal. 

Yeast-raised bread, unless made from the whole grain, 
should be at least a day old when given to young chil¬ 
dren, or should be toasted or twice-baked. 

[194] 



Common Sense in Selecting Foods 


MEAT, FISH AND EGGS 

In some families children do not get enough of the 
group of foods including meat, fish, and eggs; in others, 
they get too much. A good general rule is to give a 
child two years old or over an egg every other day, 
and about the same amount (two ounces) of meat, fish, 
or poultry, on the intervening days, though meat itself 
is never necessary for a child. Where meat is omitted, 
care must be taken to see that other suitable foods take 
its place—preferably an extra amount of milk and 
eggs. 

Fried meats should never be given to a child, because 
they are likely to be overcooked and tough, and also 
because the fat may be scorched and thus changed in 
composition. Scorched fat is almost certain to be hurt¬ 
ful to children, or to anyone else, for that matter. 

When it is allowed, meat is best given as broiled beef¬ 
steak or chop, or in simple meat stews combined with 
vegetables. Poultry may be roasted and served with 
rice. Highly seasoned stuffing, or rich gravy, should not 
be given to a young child. 

Fish, dried or fresh, and oysters, may be used in milk 
stews. Well-baked fish is good for variety. The best 
way to cook eggs is to poach or coddle them. Scrambled 
eggs may be served occasionally, provided care is taken 
not to scorch the fat or to overcook the eggs. 

But remember that milk and raw foods are best for 
insuring steady growth of healthy tissue, and if these 
are secured in sufficient amounts, meats of all kinds can 
safely be excluded from the diet. 

[195] 



How to Raise the Baby 


FATTY FOODS 

Fat is an important part of the food of children. 
There is more than an ounce of fat (at least 2level 
tablespoonfuls) in a quart of whole milk. If the healthy 
child is given a quart of milk, has butter on its bread, 
and meat or an egg once a day, he gets enough fat, and 
in wholesome form. 

It is well, therefore, not to give such fatty foods as 
pastry, fried meats and vegetables, and doughnuts or 
rich cakes. If the child is constipated the occasional 
use of cream or salad oil is desirable, for fat in abun¬ 
dance is laxative. 

Bacon, or salt pork, is not desirable, though if cut 
very thin and carefully cooked, may be given occasion¬ 
ally. It is very important not to burn the fat. 

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS 

Vegetables and fruits are similar in the fact that both 
supply iron, lime and other mineral matters, and also 
mild acids. Vegetables are an important but often a 
neglected part of the child’s diet. They should be served 
at least once a day, for, besides giving many valuable 
mineral elements, they help to keep the bowels in good 
condition. 

Fruits are important for their flavoring, for their lax¬ 
ative effects, and doubtless for other reasons, and should 
be served in some form at least once a day. Fruit juices 
and the pulp of cooked fruit, baked apples and pears, 
and stewed prunes, are the safest. Great care should 
be taken in washing either fruits or vegetables which are 
to be eaten raw. 


[196] 



Common Sense in Selecting Foods 


SIMPLE SWEETS 

Sugar is a desirable part of the diet of a child, 
provided it is given in its natural form and not 
allowed to take the place of other foods or spoil the 
appetite. 

Permissible sweets are dried sweet fruits (as raisins, 
figs, dates, etc.), honey, maple sugar and syrup, brown 
sugar and old-fashioned “Orleans” or sorghum syrup— 
all in small quantities. 

Cakes, as ordinarily made, are an abomination, and 
so also are jams, jellies and preserves. The latter are 
all prepared with an excess of refined sugar and are 
boiled to such an extent that the value of the original 
fruit is destroyed. 

Such accessories as spices, pepper, vinegar, mustard, 
pickles, etc., are never required by children, and are al¬ 
ways injurious to them. If their diet is normal, they 
will not desire them and will require nothing to “give 
them an appetite.” 

Use uncooked foods as much as possible. 

I believe that the following is one of the best diet lists 
I have yet devised. It has given me the best results in 
my sanitarium and in my home experience with chil¬ 
dren. 

Diet from Weaning up to Two Years 

BREAKFAST 

Half or whole orange, or some other acid fruit that is 
enjoyed. Whenever the bowels are very loose this acid 
fruit should not be used. When constipated, part of the 
white pulp of the orange peel, or prunes or raisins, are 
advised. 


[ 197 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


Choice of the following cereals: “Krumbles,” hominy, 
whole rice, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, shredded wheat. 
The cereal can be served as a liquid by making it into a 
very thin gruel; it should be made with milk and eaten 
with a spoon like soup. It can be sweetened with brown 
sugar, if desired, though honey or raisins make a much 
more satisfactory sweetening. 

DINNER 

Choice of any one of the following foods: Vegetable 
soup; one egg prepared in any manner except frying; 
chopped beef, as in a Salisbury steak, if meat is desired. 

With any one of the above foods you can use Graham 
bread, zwieback, or whole-wheat crackers, baked, boiled, 
or mashed potatoes, or rice. 

A dessert can be made of rice, farina, custard, etc. 

SUPPER 

Cornmeal, or some other cereal that might be palat¬ 
able with milk. One egg can be added if a child is very 
active and is hungry. 

Whole-wheat bread, corn bread, or zwieback. 

Sweet fruit in small amounts may be added. 

If a child over a year old does not seem to be thor¬ 
oughly nourished on a diet of this kind, a glass of milk 
may be given before retiring and one hour before each 
meal, if there is a desire for it. 

* Diet from Two to Six Years 

BREAKFAST 

Acid fruit, as may be desired. 

Choice of cereals: “Krumbles,” shredded wheat, corn¬ 
flakes, oatmeal, cornmeal, etc., with milk or top milk. 

[ 198 ] 



Common Sense in Selecting Foods 


DINNER 

Rich cream soup of some sort, made of vegetables, 
beans, peas, barley, etc. 

Eggs cooked as desired; or meat, fish or chicken, if 
such food is desired. Chopped beef (top of round 
steak) is usually the most wholesome and nourishing 
kind of meat. 

Choice of any vegetable that is especially palatable, 
such as baked potatoes, carrots, onions, spinach, aspar¬ 
agus, etc. 

The dessert may be plain pudding, like rice (un¬ 
polished), custard, or blanc-mange, or pies made with a 
whole-wheat crust. 

Raisins, prunes, dates, or any sweet fruit, will be 
more satisfactory than candy for dessert, but pure 
candy can be allowed occasionally. 

SUPPER 


Soup, if desired. 

Eggs prepared in any way that may be appetizing, 
except frying. 

Cereal pudding of some sort—rice, farina, cornmeal, 
etc.; or stewed fruit. 

Diet for Six Years and Over 

BREAKFAST 

Raw acid fruits as desired, or stewed fruits. 

Choice of cereals: Shredded wheat, “Krumbles,” oat¬ 
meal, cornmeal, etc., served with raisins, dates, figs, or 
other sweet fruit, instead of sugar. 

[ 199 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


DINNER 

Any kind of nourishing, appetizing soup. 

Eggs prepared in any appetizing manner, except by 
frying. 

Fish, chicken, or meat, if desired. 

Any vegetables in season. 

Salad: Lettuce, tomato, cabbage, or other green 
“stuff,” is especially important in a child’s diet as it 
becomes less active muscularly. 

Dessert: Puddings; pies made with whole-wheat 

crust; cakes containing a small amount of whole-wheat 
flour or bran; stewed fruit; custard; or shredded wheat, 
moistened with milk, sweetened with honey and covered 
with whipped cream. 

SUPPER 

Baked apples, or other stewed fruit. 

Eggs in any form desired, unless eggs were served 
at dinner. 

Vegetables, with whole-wheat bread and butter. 

Milk or cocoa. 

Some light dessert if desired. 


[ 200 ] 



CHAPTER XVII 


Physical Care from the Second 
to the Eighth Year 

‘Remember, ’tis not the ancients or their sons 
That are the nation’s hope, but they of lips 
Bedewed with mother’s milk, whose feet as yet 
Bear not the burdens of their bodies, which 
In coming days shall be the state’s strong ramparts.” 

— Burbridge. 

T HE general hygiene of children embraces plenty of 
air and sun baths, daily tub baths (cold or blood- 
heat), careful attention to the diet (as outlined in the 
preceding chapter) and the proper kind of healthful 
exercise. 

In other pages throughout this volume I have writ¬ 
ten enthusiastically of the advantages of air and sun 
baths. But I want to emphasize here still more their 
value to the health. 

Water is a temporary medium for baths, while air 
is a constant medium. There is far greater benefit to be 
derived from direct contact of the body with the air 
than most people imagine. The pale, almost snow- 
white bodies of children, which some parents seem to be 
proud of, are the result of their being deprived of air 
and sunlight, too frequently because of prudishness on 
the part of the parents and always because of a mis¬ 
understanding of Nature and her requirements. 

WONDERFUL VALUE OF THE AIR BATH 

Every day of the year, regardless of the temperature 
of the air, the body of a child should be freed from all 
[ 201 ] 


How to Raise the Baby 


clothing and placed where the fresh air can strike it. 
Disregard drafts of air almost entirely, for it is only 
when the body is unequally clothed, and is thus un¬ 
equally exposed to the air, that a draft may produce 
a disagreeable reaction, such as a cold. If the child 
romps and plays regularly in the open air, or in a room 
with the windows wide open, without any clothing, its 
circulation, particularly that of the skin, will be so ac¬ 
tive that it will not be sensitive to cold at other times 
and will be practically immune to catarrh and other 
affections commonly resulting from exposure. 

The more delicate the child the more it needs the air 
bath, but, naturally, the more prudence must be ob¬ 
served in giving it. Five to thirty minutes, or more, 
may be given to the bath, depending upon the degree of 
vitality possessed by the child, and the temperature of 
the air. 

SUNLIGHT NECESSARY FOR PALE CHILDREN AND OTHERS 

Still greater benefit will result if the rays of the sun 
can come in direct contact with the body while the air 
bath is being taken. The sunshine brings color to the 
pale, cellar-grown, light-starved leaf. It will also bring 
color to the pale flesh of the child whose body has been 
just as effectively starved for light and air by burden¬ 
some clothing. Care must be taken to avoid sunburn¬ 
ing. The sun baths should be given nude, and daily if 
possible, and direct—not through glass for real benefit. 

It is absolutely essential for the child’s present and 
future health that it have fresh air throughout the en¬ 
tire twenty-four hours of the day. Do not subject it to 
[ 202 ] 



Physical Care from Second to Eighth Year 


risk by allowing it to spend any of its time in places 
inadequately ventilated. 


WATER BATHS INSURE CLEAN, ACTIVE SKIN 

And I want to emphasize here, too, the imperative 
necessity, and the profound health-value, of the daily 
tub bath for every child. Remember, the skin is one of 
the great avenues of elimination, acting in concert with 
the bowels, the kidneys and the lungs to remove from 
the system the deadly poisons that are being generated 
almost every moment by the breaking down of cell 
structure and the disintegration of tissue. Use soap 
only two or three times weekly, and never use strong 
soap. 

Many mothers may remember the story of the boy 
who was gilded to represent an angel during a certain 
ceremonial feast, and who died inside of a few minutes 
from his own poisons. 

Keep your children clean. Keep the mouths of their 
millions of pores open, so that they may discharge the 



rhe air bath can be enjoyed by the youngsters during the 
warm months in the out-of-doors while at their play. 





How to Raise the Baby 


poisonous gases and noxious matters which, if retained, 
would work them grave injury. 

FRICTION BATHS 

There is another form of bath that is rarely thought 
of when baths are being considered. I refer to the fric¬ 
tion bath. For improvement of superficial and deep 
circulation, for either stimulation or soothing effect 
upon the nerves, and for increasing elimination through 
the skin, the friction bath is one of the most valuable 
and potent means available. 

The mother can give this friction to the younger 
children, and teach the older ones to apply it to them¬ 
selves. The hands alone may be used, or a flesh brush, 
bath mitten, or coarse towel. A dry bath may be given 
by any one of these means, or all except the brush may 
be used to give a water bath. 

A friction bath given with the wet hand is an excel¬ 
lent means of exciting a strong reaction, and is espe¬ 
cially valuable in colds, catarrh, adenoids, malnutrition 
and general lack of vitality. The heat and magnetism 
of the unobstructed hands prevent the cold water being 
too great a shock, and the friction brings about the de¬ 
sired full reaction. 

The friction with a towel or bath mitten which has 
been wrung from cool or cold water is useful in those 
cases in which it is not necessary or desirable to estab¬ 
lish such decided reaction and increased circulation. 

Either one of these forms of friction bath may be 
given daily; for they do not have any weakening or ex¬ 
hausting tendency, such as an “overdone” tub bath may 
sometimes have. 


[ 204 ] 




Physical Care from Second to Eighth Year 


CLOTHING 

The average mother is inclined unwittingly to stifle 
the skin activity of her children (as well as of herself) 
by a superabundance of clothes. The skin is almost as 
important an organ of breathing as are the lungs, but 
it is usually obstructed to such an extent that it is not 
half efficient. 

The extra amount of toxins thrown off by the lungs 
because of skin inactivity irritates the lung tissue, and 
makes possible such disorders as coughs, colds, asthma, 
bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. 

If the mother were to consult her child concerning the 
amount of wearing apparel she should put on its body, 
she would probably find that it would not want to be 
“bundled up.” When the child is too small to know 
what it wants, the amount of clothing should be little 
enough so that there can be full action of every muscle 
and point of the body. Open-mesh clothing is always 
the best. 

Thin underwear should be worn at practically all 
times, and heavier garments put on when going out into 
the cold. For the temperature of most homes, even in 
winter, is that of summer, the season when light gar¬ 
ments are worn indoors and out. 

In most cases it is not only unnecessary but positively 
harmful to have the neck, throat and chest encased m 
heavy mufflers and blanket-like garments, as is the usual 
custom with children. In extremely cold weather the 
throat may have a light covering, but in any ordinary 
temperature it is better without any. The more the 
child is “coddled” the more frail and susceptible to colds 
and diseases it will be. 




How to Raise the Baby 


SHOES 

Put the foot of your baby or young child on the floor 
and make an outline of it, and you will see something 
entirely different from what you would expect if you 
were judging by the shape of your own shoe, or, prob¬ 
ably, from your own more or less malformed foot. If 
your child’s foot is an average, 
healthy, normal foot, it will be 
lllllli HP (Si a ^tle less than half as wide 

li|pF ^ as it i s l° n g* This proportion 

changes somewhat as the child 
grows older, but always there 
is a far wider foot than most 
shoes are made for. 

In securing shoes for chil¬ 
dren care should be taken to 
have them long enough, as well 
as wide enough. The inner 
edge of the shoe should be 
straight, and the heel should 
be of the thickness of the sole, 
or but little thicker. The 
leather should be soft and flex¬ 
ible, and the sole capable of 
bending very easily. 



Print of right foot with 
correct shoe outline. 


FEET MADE HEALTHY BY GOING BAREFOOT AND 
WEARING SANDALS 

Sandals are the best kind of footwear, and should 
be worn much more than they are at present. Except 
during rainy and snowy weather they could, and should, 
[ 206 ] 






Physical Care from Second to Eighth Year 


be worn practically the year round, except that a child 
should go barefoot in summer. 

The average mother in cities and towns never allows 
her children the luxury of going barefoot. One reason 
is that she thinks it immodest, and another is that she 
thinks that going without restricting shoes leads to the 
development of a larger, wider foot. This is a mistake, 
for going barefoot can only tend to make the foot nor¬ 
mal, as the bones and muscles and ligaments can then 
develop normally and act in their normal capacities as 
arches, supports and manipulators of the foot and sup¬ 
porters of the body. 

If stockings are of warm material and large enough, 
the child’s feet will be warmer in cold weather in san¬ 
dals, or soft low shoes, that allow full activity of the 
foot muscles, than in heavy high shoes that bind and 
restrict the movements of the feet and ankles. 

DEVELOP THE CHILD’S CHEST AND LUNGS 

The subject of muscular activity, or exercise, belongs 
in the general subject of hygiene, but is such an im¬ 
portant topic that the entire following chapter has been 
devoted to it. 

Proper play exercise such as is described in this chap¬ 
ter will make a demand for deeper breathing, and no 
especial attention to this matter will be required in most 
cases. If mouth breathing develops or is threatened, the 
nose should be examined for obstructions. If adenoids 
are found, give careful treatment as outlined in Chapter 
XXIII. 

Children have a natural desire to express their ebul¬ 
lient feelings in vocal terms annoying to their elders 
[ 207 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


but highly bene¬ 
ficial to the 
y o u n g s t ers. 
They should be 
permitted t o 
“yell their heads 
off” at times, 
and they should 
b e encouraged 
to sing — or 
make the at¬ 
tempt. These 
vocal exercises 
develop the 
lungs and help 
to purify the 
blood by leading 
to more com¬ 
plete oxygeniza- 
tion of the blood 
and neutraliza¬ 
tion of the body 
poisons. Besides, 
singing insures 
a better, more 
cheerful frame 
of mind, and 
this is valuable 
to any one. 

Develop¬ 
ment and 
growth are in- 



The author’s four little daughters showing 
their bodily development gained through 
scientific physical culture. When the photo- 
[ 208 ] 









Physical Care from Second to Eighth Year 



graph was taken, the oldest, Byrnece was 
over eight, the next, Beulah, nearly seven; 
Braunda, over five; Beverley, about four. 

[ 209 ] 


creased b y 
activity but 
would not be 
possible with¬ 
out sufficient 
rest, relaxa- 
t i o n and 
sleep. These 
must be al¬ 
lowed and in¬ 
sured, and 
under the 
most whole¬ 
some condi- 
t i o n s pos¬ 
sible ; other¬ 
wise your 
child’s nerves 
will be weak¬ 
ened and, 
sooner or 
later, his en¬ 
tire organism 
will suffer. 

FOOD 

Regardless 
o f properly 
conducted ex¬ 
ercise, suit¬ 
able wearing 
apparel, care 







How to Raise the Baby 


of the skin and of the body generally, and of sufficient 
rest and sleep, a child will be in defective health and will 
be susceptible to the various children’s diseases and 
other disturbances of health unless the diet is right. 
This important subject is treated in the preceding chap¬ 
ter. 



Back view of the four Macfadden girls. Photograph taken 
at the same time as that on pages 208 and 209. These pic¬ 
tures show a condition which all children should approximate 
if their physical needs receive proper attention. 


[ 210 ] 




Physical Care from Second to Eighth Year 


TEETH IN RELATION TO HEALTH 

The care of the mouth and teeth is another impor¬ 
tant department of child hygiene. 

I have already spoken of the care of the gums of the 
infant, and the need for constant and vigilant atten¬ 
tion to the cleanly condition of the oral cavity. 

Drs. Bowers and Ryan, in “Teeth and Health,” say 
that few mothers understand the importance of pre¬ 
serving the child’s first teeth. Since these teeth are only 
temporary anyhow, and must eventually be replaced by 
the second set, or permanent teeth, mothers have been 
led to believe that they may be neglected with impunity. 
Thus they may be lost long before the permanent ones 
appear. 

Now, nothing could be more definitely and lastingly 
harmful to the child than to lose its first teeth before 
the second teeth are ready to displace them. 

WHAT IRREGULAR TEETH MEAN 

The second teeth will come in irregularly if the re¬ 
straining influence of their predecessors is lost, and 
irregularity once started, always tends to become pro¬ 
gressively worse, unless corrected by the orthodontist. 
This, of course, is destructive of beauty, but it is not 
for looks alone that it should be sedulously guarded 
against. 

Irregular teeth do not “occlude” properly—that is 
the grinding surfaces do not come together. Hence 
there is poor mastication of the food, and consequently 
a lowered power of digestion and assimilation. Hence 
again, a general deficiency in the development and 
“tone” of the entire body. 

[ 211 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


The bones and muscles of the jaws suffer also from 
this general malnutrition, and the teeth become even 
more irregular and lacking in their essential salts, as a 
consequence. The bones that support the teeth do not 
grow large enough to accommodate all of them in the 
normal position. 

In some cases the jaw bones are so small that many 
of the teeth cannot find a place to come through at all, 
and they remain impacted in the jaw, giving rise in 
later life to chronic neuralgias, headaches and many 
grave nervous and physical disorders. 

Such a condition may even give rise to that agoniz¬ 
ing condition known to doctors as tic douloureux. This 
is characterized by a twitching of the facial muscles on 
the side affected, accompanied by the most terrible 
pain known to human beings, with the possible exception 
of angina pectoris. Or it may produce conditions which 
find their expression in various reflex actions, such as 
twitching of the muscles and limbs, or even such grave 
disorders as melancholia. 

Again, the normal physiological relations between the 
mouth and the nose are also affected, causing a profound 
disturbance in the function of the breathing apparatus, 
and resulting in the narrowing of the air passages. 

HOW MOUTH BREATHING BEGINS 

This causes mouth breathing. The air enters the 
lungs improperly warmed, unfiltered and unmoistened. 
The blood is insufficiently supplied with oxygen. Shoul¬ 
ders become rounded, chest flat, and faulty positions in 
standing or sitting are acquired, resulting, in many 
cases, in spinal curvature. 

[ 212 ] 




Physical Care from Second to Eighth Year 


Most serious of all, the brain does not develop prop¬ 
erly, and the mentality of the child suffers. 

Also, irregular teeth are kept clean with great diffi¬ 
culty, and the problem of repairing or replacing them 
later becomes more complex for the dentist. 

THE CHIEF CAUSE OF PYORRHEA 

This is one reason why pyorrhea, or Rigg’s disease, 
is so often found in mouths with irregular teeth. The 
gravity of this pyorrheal condition is manifested in 
later life by the development of headaches, rheumatism, 
diseases of the heart and blood-vessels, of the kidneys, 
and even of the eyes. 

St. Vitus dance, epilepsy, and even insanity may 
also result from the nervous and systematic conditions 
produced by irregular teeth, and by the early loss of 
teeth that should have had careful attention from the 
skilled dentist. 

SEVENTY-FIVE PER CENT OF ALL AMERICANS 
HAVE IRREGULAR TEETH 

In America today, it is estimated that fully seventy- 
five per cent of people have irregular teeth. At the 
Forsythe Dental Infirmary it has been shown that fully 
ninety-five per cent of the children presenting them¬ 
selves for treatment are thus affected. The difficulty of 
cleansing irregular teeth often results in decay. 

In an examination of 10,500 school children, the 
British Dental Association found eighty-six per cent 
suffering from more or less pronounced defects of the 
teeth—the result of a diet lacking in the essential 
mineral elements upon which the bones and the teeth 
[213] 



How to Raise the Baby 


depend for their development, and of proper and timely 
dentistry. 

Of 1694 children examined by Dr. A. Freedman Foote, 
only eleven were found to possess normal teeth. Dr. 
Foote, in a report to the Second District Dental So¬ 
ciety of New York, stated that “the sixth year molars 
of nearly every child examined were broken down wholly 
or in part. In many instances these molars were de¬ 
cayed below the gum margins. So extensive and far 
advanced were the defects that corrective treatment, 
even if it were applied, would have been of little value. 

The New York Department of Health, through Dr. 
T. W. YanWincle, examined the teeth of 231,081 school 
children in New York City, finding 131,747 defective. 

In the clinics of Northampton, Mass., established 
by Principal Janes, the Superintendent of Schools, it 
was found that of 2400 children examined, ninety-seven 
per cent were in need of dental attention. 

Needless to say, the moral of all this is: First, that 
children should be supplied with plenty of material for 
building teeth; and next, that these members should re¬ 
ceive the most scrupulous care. 

As soon as the child is old enough (three years, or 
even younger, is about the proper age) it should be 
taught the use of a little tooth-brush, or better yet, the 
more sanitary tooth polisher or buffer, and encouraged 
to use this after each meal, if possible, particularly be¬ 
fore going to bed. 

MOST IMPORTANT TO CLEAN THE TEETH AT NIGHT 

Be especially careful to see that the child performs 
its mouth toilet before retiring at night, no matter how 
[214] 




Physical Care from Second to Eighth Year 


sleepy or indisposed to exert himself he may be. For the 
night is the “period of greatest decay.” The busy little 
tongue and the jaws are at rest, and the salivary secre¬ 
tions are not kept circulating as they are in the day¬ 
time. This permits of the development of hyperacidity 
in the salivary secretions, and the attack of these acids 
upon the vulnerable alkaline substance of the teeth. 

HOW TO USE DENTAL FLOSS 

A spool of floss silk should also be provided, a strand 
of which the child should be taught to draw between 
the teeth, so as to thoroughly remove from the inter¬ 
dental spaces any impacted particles of food which, 
if allowed to remain, would ferment and cause tooth 
decay. 

Floss silk is much better than a toothpick, as it is 
not likely to injure the delicate gums and to cause bleed¬ 
ing and possibly recession of these parts. 

Great care should always be taken to avoid injuring 
the gums, or causing them to bleed, as this not only 
tends to recession but provides an opening through 
which germs may find entrance, thus favoring the de¬ 
velopment of pyorrhea and inflammation. 

I can definitely assure you that time spent in teaching 
the children to care for their teeth is time most profit¬ 
ably spent. In fact, there are few ways in which hy¬ 
giene contributes so much to permanent physical wel¬ 
fare as in the care of the teeth. 

WONDERS OF ORTHODONTIA 

If the teeth come in irregularly, they should be 
straightened by an orthodontist. This involves the 
[215] 



How to Raise the Baby 


expanding of the dental arches, the widening of air pas¬ 
sages, and the correction of such facial deformities as 
“rabbit face” and “whopper jaw.” It results not only 
in a great improvement in the child’s health and appear¬ 
ance, but also in its mentality. 

The work is accomplished by the use of certain at¬ 
tachments, worn for quite a considerable period of time, 
which gently expand the arches and force the teeth into 
their normal position. This may be done as early as 
four years, and should never be postponed until after 
the first teeth have fallen out. 

CARE OF THE EAR 

Coming now to consider the ear, an old adage advises 
us never to put “anything smaller than the elbow” into 
the ear. This of course, applies only to the inner part of 
the external ear, for adequate cleanliness could not be 
maintained were the ear not washed out regularly with 
soap and water. 

However, the use of metallic objects, such as hairpins, 
the heads of pins, etc., in picking and poking about in 
the ear, is a practice that is fraught with grave possi¬ 
bilities of danger. 

If, at any time, the ear should show evidences of waxy 
impaction, it is a comparatively simple matter for the 
mother to take a bulb syringe filled with warm water, 
have the child hold its head over a basin in the sink, 
and gently wash out the ear with four or five syringe¬ 
fuls of the water, until the wax shall have been thor¬ 
oughly loosened; after which it can be picked out readily 
with the fingers, or a small pair of tweezers carefully 
handled. 


[ 216 ] 



Physical Care from Second to Eighth Year 


THE EFFECT OF POSTURE UPON HEALTH 

When the child reaches school age, the mother, espe¬ 
cially in rural communities where visiting nurses and 
health officers are conspicuous by their absence, should 
be most vigilant in the matter of proper provision for 
the child’s health. 

We all remember the old-fashioned, low desk over 
which the child would be required to sprawl or stoop in¬ 
terminable hours every day. There is not a particle 
of doubt that thousands of cases of spinal curvature 
and prolapse of the abdominal organs have resulted 
from the manner of sitting made necessary by these 
foolish and entirely unjustifiable contrivances for the 
torture of youth. 

The mother should make it her personal duty to see 
that the chair her child occupies at school is of such 
height as will enable him to sit in a normal, erect posi¬ 
tion while working at his desk, and that it conforms in 
shape to the slope of his back and furnishes adequate 
support to it. 

Also, it would be well to see that the seat is so ar¬ 
ranged that the light will come from behind and 
above the child, falling over the shoulder upon the page, 
instead of from the front and directly into the eyes. 

Thousands of cases of eyestrain and chronic disorders 
of the eye have had their beginnings in the abuse of the 
eye during the child’s school life, because of the neglect 
to insure proper seating and lighting facilities. 

KEEPING BOWELS AND BLADDER HEALTHY 

Another point of great importance to the child in 
school is that it answer the calls of Nature when they 
[ 217 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 


arise. Failure to do so may lead to serious disorders 
of the bldader or kidneys or, through the retention of 
poisons, of the digestive apparatus and the entire organ¬ 
ism. It may result, too, in chronic constipation, for 
there is no precaution against this troublesome com¬ 
plaint which it is more necessary to observe than the 
practice of evacuating the bowels at the first intima¬ 
tion that this is needed. 

There are different reasons why, in school, a child 
may be kept at his desk when there is an urgent call to 
empty the bladder or bowels. Sometimes the child may 
hesitate to ask to be excused because of bashfulness or 
modesty, but if parents would train all prudishness and 
false modesty out of their children, or better, never 
permit them to develop these traits, there w r ould be no 
danger from this source. Permission to leave the room 
may be refused because it appears to the teacher that 
the child is asking for it oftener than is necessary. If 
this should be the case, parents should take the matter 
up with the teacher at once, for there is no overrating 
its importance. 


[ 218 ] 



CHAPTER XVIII 


Physical Culture Exercises 
After the First Year 


N ATURE has provided that the development of the 
young animal, or the young human, shall be by 
physical exercise. With children, as with all young ani¬ 
mals, this exercise is best and most naturally secured 
through the influence of play. 

It is interesting to note that some of the most pro¬ 
found of our philosophers, as Prof. Max Muller, have 
shown that many of the games indulged in by children 
are well-nigh universal, and have their origin in remote 
antiquity. 

It is not at all improbable that the child of the cave¬ 
man, a half a million years ago, played “tag,” “ring 
around a rosy,” “leap frog” and “blind man’s bluff.” 
The same is true of his modern descendants in India, 
in Alaska, in New York City, or in any hamlet in the 
country. 

It is interesting to note that “tag,” and various 
games which involve wrestling and mimic combat, are a 
part of the natural education of young animals, as well 
as of young humans. 

Old-fashioned, homey “romps” are excellent exercise 
for children and parents. Games of “bear,” “pussy 
wants a corner,” “hide and seek,” etc., are both play 
and exercise, and are valuable for all ages, if grown-ups 
can lose their “dignity” sufficiently to take part in them. 
[219] 


How to Raise the Baby 


For out-of-door exercise there should be, if possible, 
a sand pile for the younger children. Swings are also 
good for exercise, and can be put in the outside doorw r ay, 
or on the porch if necessary. A few sticks or boxes, 
spools and wheels, or a cart, wheelbarrow, or wagon, 
a kiddie car, velocipede, roller skates, ice skates, sleds 
—any of these will give the children of various ages 
the right kind of play exercise. 

Or a child will derive a vast amount of amusement, 
and healthy exercise, too, from a bow and arrow, a 
wooden gun, or a hammer and saw. Marbles and tops 
get a child out of doors, and are valuable toys. 

It can readily be seen that these exercises are of a 
wholesome, developing character, calculated not only to 
ensure bodily perfection, so far as muscular develop¬ 
ment is concerned, but to cultivate the admirable traits 
of quickness, dexterity and courage. 

Any fixed rules tend to make exercise monotonous 
and a bore, soon to be neglected. For this reason it 
must be spontaneous, and must have variety. 

But the parents should see that so far as possible 
the play exercise is taken under wholesome conditions. 
Let the children wear rompers, or other clothing wdiich 
allows full body motion. Much of the playing of 
younger children will necessarily be done indoors; so by 
all means have an abundance of fresh air and sunlight in 
the play room. Have exercise bars and other appa¬ 
ratus, if desired and possible, and also mats or blan¬ 
kets for floor exercises. A child will be apt to exercise 
better to music than without it, especially if its parents 
take the exercises at the same time. For this the phono¬ 
graph or the radio musical programs are excellent. 

[ 220 ] 




A play exercise good not only for the father but for the 
children. Hanging the weight from the shoulders in this 
manner helps to develop the chest, shoulders and arms of 

the child. 


[ 221 ] 






How to Raise the Baby 


A child should not be driven to exercise, but exercise 
should be made so attractive that he will be eager for 
it. If the parents will relax from their stiff and de¬ 
corous posing occasionally to join their children in their 
fun, the entire family will benefit greatly, and that 
priceless relationship between parents and children— 
that of pals—will be established. 

Parents must be careful, however, that the child shall 
not be injured by play of too rough a character, and 
that it shall not be continued so long as to produce 
excessive fatigue, nervousness and insomnia, or rest¬ 
lessness at night. 

For it is a fact that children are rather irresponsible 
in these matters, and have a tendency to become highly 
excited in their little games, losing thereby some of the 
good they might gain from them if they were kept 
within reasonable bounds. 

Excessive fatigue, as is well known, causes an overload 
of toxic material in the blood-stream, which poisons and 
irritates the nerves and the brain cells, and influences 
unfavorably every organ and function in the body. 

The sound common sense of the parents will guide 
them in advising the children, and in exercising an un¬ 
obtrusive supervision over them in this most interest¬ 
ing phase of their development. 

The calisthenic drills that we are giving in our schools 
everywhere are undoubtedly of value, but they are not 
as vigorous as they should be. 

A better system of exercises for children is found in 
the various forms of play that they most enjoy. 

Kittens and puppies, as they run and wrestle and roll 
around the floor, jumping hither and thither under the 
[ 222 ] 




With father as a playmate, children find many fun-making 
exercises to develop their muscles. The author is supporting 
his little girls, having a combined weight of 250 pounds. 



How to Raise the Baby 



impulse of the playful 
spirit, give us an ex¬ 
ample of exercises that 
cannot be improved 
upon. 

Two children, if left 
alone and allowed to 
follow their own in¬ 
stincts, will push and 
pull and wrestle and 
roll all around, just 
like kittens and pup¬ 
pies. 

And, in a way, small 
children are nothing 
more than little ani¬ 
mals. They have not 
yet gotten to the point 
where the mental side 
of life is of importance 
to them, and our main 
aim should be to make 
them as perfect in a 
physical way as we 
possibly can. 

I believe every child, 
with only a moderate 
amount of attention, 
would approximate the 
physical perfec¬ 
tion that my own chil¬ 
dren have acquired, for 


Playing pickaback is valuable for 
the children, as they have to use 
considerable muscular energy in 
staying “on top.” 


[ 224 ] 









Exercises After the First Year 


I have not put them through what you might call sys¬ 
tematic training. I do not believe in rigid routine train¬ 
ing for children at this age. I furnish them every op¬ 
portunity to play. I play with them at frequent inter¬ 
vals. I sometimes play base, or what is called “pussy 
wants a corner,” with them, and I believe I have as much 
fun as any one of them. 

The exercises I have illustrated here should really 
not be classed as such. They should be regarded as 
play. When you begin to make work of an exercise a 
child loses interest in it. It must never become monot¬ 
onous. Get up competitions of various kinds—wres¬ 
tling, running, swimming, etc.—anything to make play 
or fun out of physical activity. 

As I have said, most children need little encourage¬ 
ment to make them play. “Grown-ups” are always ex¬ 
claiming in wonder and amazement at the way their 
youngsters can keep up such constant activity from 
dawn till dusk. But often this playing and romping 
brings into play only a few of the muscles of the body. 
And again, especially among little girls, there is often 
a tendency, as they grow older, to play the more 
inactive, sluggish games. It is a parent’s duty to prevent 
this. With but little encouraging, a little “leading 
on,” the children can be given the opportunity to develop 
not only in an ordinary way, but in a superior way. And 
it is surely evident to all older people, from their knowl¬ 
edge of the appalling amount of failure (through 
weakness), of sickness and of premature death in the 
world, that it is very important to give children a really 
superior start physically in order to give them a fair 
chance to make good in the big game of life later on. 




How to Raise the Baby 


I often go on 
long walks with mj 
children, and in or¬ 
der to add to the 
benefit of the walk¬ 
ing I carry them on 
my back in the 
manner illustrated. 
Sometimes I carry 
two or more of 
them. All this helps 
me to get benefit 
from walking, and 
materially adds to 
the pleasure of the 
children. It may 
be considered a lit¬ 
tle undignified to 
walk through the 
streets in this par¬ 
ticular manner, but 
you cannot always 
consider dignity and 
at the same time 
follow the natural 
instincts that de¬ 
mand regular phys¬ 
ical activity. 

Children respond 
very quickly to 
physical work of 
any kind. You can 



Place hands over the ears of the child, 
and with the latter holding the fore¬ 
arm lift upward. Although most of 
the weight seems to be on the neck, 
the child can relieve the tension as 
much as it may desire by supporting 
part of the weight on the parent’s 
forearm. 


[ 226 ] 






Exercises After the First Year 



An exercise for the spine. The par¬ 
ent, placing one hand on the back of 
the head, tries to pull it forward 
while the child pulls backward. 
After a time the child’s spine in the 
region of the neck becomes so 
strong that it is difficult to pull the 
head forward. 


actually see their 
little muscles grow 
under the influence 
of muscular activity 
that is sufficiently 
vigorous. 

Some of the exer¬ 
cises that I consider 
specially valuable 
for children are 
swinging on a bar or 
trapeze (“skinning 
the cat”), “chin¬ 
ning” and various 
other movements 
that are of very 
great value in 
strengthening the 
arms, chest and 
spine. 

I have referred to 
this frequently, but 
I am repeating the 
suggestion because 
of its inestimable 
value. We have a 
door bar in our 
house for the par¬ 
ticular use of the 
children. It is 
across the door of 
their own room 


[ 227 ] 







Playing pickaback. This exercise may seem to some too 
violent for children, but a child can usually carry another 
child of its own weight in this manner without the least 
danger. The exercise is a splendid one, especially for the 
child doing the carrying. 

[ 228 ] 






Exercises After the First Year 


and of appropriate height for them. It is sometimes 
necessary for the older folks to bend down considerably 
to get through this door. This may be somewhat in¬ 
convenient, but it also helps to compel the adults of the 
house to secure some of the exercise valuable to them. 

There are a number of other games popular among 
children that are very good for them. The “wheel¬ 
barrow,” as illustrated, is especially beneficial for the 
child who plays the part of the wheel-barrow. It 
strengthens the arms, chest and back. 

In playing with my children I get not only the keen 
pleasure of seeing them grow robust, but I also improve 
my own physical condition. Besides, there is a lot of 
stimulation in “chumming” with them. For what can 
be more interesting to a parent than his own sons and 
daughters? And yet, how many parents realize this? 

It is always said that a man lives on in his art. It 
is certainly even more true that a man lives on in his 
children. 

I have always felt that every book which I have pub¬ 
lished has been, in a way, a monument to my life work. 
To my mind such a monument is of far more value than 
a pile of granite or stone might be. But I believe that 
all of these kiddies that bear my name are monuments 
of still greater value. The best monument that a man 
can leave is the one in the form of flesh and blood. 

Granite is supposed to be almost indestructible; but 
the human race will outlive it. A stone monument may 
last many generations, but to the life of the race there 
is no limit. Therefore, the greatest work, to my mind, 
that any man or woman can do is to leave behind a num¬ 
ber of fine, strong, healthy children. And if he or she 
[ 229 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 



“The wheel-barrow.” An old exercise that is popular among 
children and can be highly recommended. The child resting 
the weight on the hands walks forward, while the child 
holding the feet does the “guiding” This is highly recom¬ 
mended for chest, back and abdomen, and is, in fact, a good 
all-round exercise. 


does his work properly, there should be no need of leav¬ 
ing them behind as children. He should be able to see 
them grow up to mature life, and should join with them 

[ 230 ] 







Exercises After the First Year 


in their pleasures and successes, unto the second and 
third, and, in some cases, even the fourth generation. 

Parents who have not given their children the gift 
of health will have much of unnecessary sorrow and suf¬ 
fering in their lives. They will have to see their chil¬ 
dren fight against great odds; they will have to see 
them go through sickness and all the devitalizing psychic 
effects of weakness. 

Physical well-being is the first requisite of mental 
and spiritual energy. And it takes mental and 
spiritual energy to make a success of one’s life in 
the big sense. 

It takes abundant vitality in this intense age to make 
one’s way through the complications of the home world 
as well as through those of the business world. 

Your daughters as well as your sons need all the phys¬ 
ical strength that Nature originally intended they 
should have. They are both concerned in the greatness 
or the weakness of the next generation. They are 
both concerned with the educating of the next gener¬ 
ation. 

A man with ideals cannot use them to better ad¬ 
vantage than by centering his interest on the physical 
betterment of the individual—and of the race. 

The suggestions I have made here, if given a proper 
trial, should be of great value to both parents and chil¬ 
dren. 

Here is a list of simple exercises, most of which are 
illustrated by appropriate photographs appearing on 
the pages of this chapter. 

1. Child carried on parent’s shoulders. Good for 
both grown-up and child. 

[ 231 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 


2. Have the children take turns carrying one 
another on their backs. The old-fashioned pickaback. 
Page 228. 

3. Let older child carry younger on shoulders. 
Watch them closely at this, and do not let any child at¬ 
tempt to carry too heavy a companion in this fashion. 

4. Vary No. 3 by setting the children to playing 
“pony polo,” in pairs, one child of each pair acting as 
pony, the other rider. This play should be reserved for 
children over ten. 

5. If father likes something a bit strenuous, he can 
carry two children on his shoulder, one behind the other. 
This is good for both the children riding. The one on 
top must balance carefully; the assistant carrier exer¬ 
cises back, shoulders and thighs. Page 224. 

6. Lots of things can be done with the horizontal 
bar. One of these should be placed in the doorway of 
every child’s room. Figure 5 shows the ancient and uni¬ 
versal stunt of “chinning.” Let the children compete to 
see who can run to the biggest score. But do not let 
them overstrain. 

7. Another ancient and honored exercise, skinning 
the cat.” 

8. Simple exercise and good fun is playing wheel¬ 
barrow.” Good for both children, particularly for the 
child acting as barrow, strengthening legs, arms, back 
and abdominal muscles. Page 230. 

9. Strengthen neck by resisting forward pull of 
father’s hand placed back of child’s head. This is an 
excellent spine and neck strengthener. Page 227. 

10. Let two youngsters take the “neck lock,” and 
pull away. 


[ 232 ] 




Exercises After the First Year 


11. Lift child by the head, placing hands firmly 
over the ears. Caution must be observed with this exer¬ 
cise. Some children do not like it. A too sensitive brain 
or nervous system may make it unpleasant. If the child 
does not enjoy the stunt never urge it. The child may 
relieve the tension as much as he likes by grasping the 
parent’s forearm, thus lessening the weight held by the 
neck muscles. This exercise should be discontinued after 
the third or fourth year. Page 226. 

12. Side shoulder hang. Father may hang a child 
from each shoulder, as on page 221, or add variety by 
draping the children all about his person, as on page 
223. One child is hung from each shoulder at the side, 
one on the shoulders behind his neck and one in front, 
grasping the back of his neck. 

This list can be indefinitely extended by the whims 
and ingenuity of both parents and children. Never 
urge the children beyond their inclinations and their 
strength. But there are no limits to the fun that may 
be had, indoors and out, by grown-ups and youngsters 
who have learned to use their muscles as they play. 


[ 233 ] 



CHAPTER XIX 


The Psychology of the Child—What 
Mothers Should Know About It 

T HE dawn of a new day is breaking for babyhood. 

The public is being slowly convinced that it is 
better to form than reform. It is being impressed with 
the relation of sin and crime to physical ignorance and 
degeneracy, and is realizing that we can never hope to 
close our jails and reformatories till the reformer directs 
his efforts toward strengthening the child physically as 
well as morally. 

Let all of us help to speed the day when the impor¬ 
tance of childhood shall be recognized—when the mist 
of ignorance shall be dispersed by the sunlight of truth, 
and we shall vouchsafe to the divine human infant the 
same opportunity for unimpeded growth as is enjoyed 
by the young of the lower animals. 

Is it too Utopian to dream of a land of sunshine, 
and song and birds and flowers, where the babes of new 
generations shall live untrammeled by houses and cloth¬ 
ing and the burden of the vices of our present civiliza¬ 
tion, and yet be the recipients of all that that same 
civilization is endeavoring to give childhood—sympathy, 
encouragement and the opportunities and stimuli for 
working out its physical, intellectual and spiritual sal¬ 
vation ? 

THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENT 

The influence of environment upon a baby’s mental 
and physical being is of very great importance. The 
[234 ] 


The Psychology of the Child 


little one is a sort of mirror which, more or less faith¬ 
fully, reflects its surroundings. In the case of the real 
mirror, however, the reflection is only of a passing na¬ 
ture, while with the baby, the things outside of itself 
that it sees or hears or feels become permanent impres¬ 
sions. The distinction between the bright, jolly, healthy 
infant, and the apathetic, gloomy, sickly one, will, on in¬ 
quiry, often be found to be that of cheerful parents and 
a sunlit home on the one hand, and a surly father, a 
cross mother and airless, dim apartments on the other. 

Parents, or a good many of them at least, overlook 
the fact that babyhood is the one period when the mo¬ 
bile human material can be moulded at will into shapes 
of beauty or of ugliness. They too often fail to realize 
that, for this reason, everything with which the little 
one comes in contact tends to further its advancement 
or hasten its retrogression. Its senses serve for one of 
two things—they either convey to its awakening brain 
impressions that please and soothe, or impressions that 
annoy and irritate. And these are like the work of the 
engraver’s tool in soft metal, first a mere suggestion, 
then a gradual deepening of the line till finally the in¬ 
delible impression is made. 

The poet wrote wisely, well and truly when he averred 
that the “child is father of the man,” for the charac¬ 
teristics wdiich appear in manhood are but the fruition 
of the seed sown in childhood. Remembering this, then, 
and remembering too that a baby’s senses are for the 
time being acting as its reason and conscience, does it 
not follow that we should do our utmost to gratify those 
senses along legitimate lines by permitting them to come 
in contact only with things wholesome and beautiful, 
[235] 



How to Raise the Baby 


in order that the immature mentality may, by a process 
of assimilation, become beautiful and wholesome also? 

Beauty is a condition or arrangement which we know 
exists, but which we cannot define. All we know is that 
it is what it is, and beyond this we are in the dark, in 
spite of laborious arguments and attempted explana¬ 
tions on the part of logicians and metaphysicians. We 
enjoy the odor of a violet although we cannot say why. 

THE LOVE OF BEAUTY A HUMAN INSTINCT 

The point that I am attempting to make is that love 
of beauty is a human instinct, rather than a quality ac¬ 
quired by study, or by the ripening of the faculties. 

In other words, a baby, within the limitations of its 
little senses, is as capable of appreciating the color, 
form and perfume of a Jacqueminot rose as are its par¬ 
ents, because the power of such appreciation was born 
with it, precisely as is its power of distinguishing be¬ 
tween things nauseous to the taste and those that are 
palatable. 

I have in mind three babies of my acquaintance. In 
the parlor of the parents of one, a boy, hangs a very 
lovely study of peonies. Whenever the youngster gets 
fretful, as the best of youngsters will, he is shown the 
pictured flowers. Instantly the small face lights up 
with animation, the smiles reappear, and the child be¬ 
comes absorbed in the glowing beauties of the paint¬ 
ing- 

Another little one is a girl. She is also a mite of a 
few months and, except for scrambling on a grass plot 
in a state of nature, her greatest joy in life is to listen to 
her mother playing some dreamy composition, say, one 
[236] 




The Psychology of the Child 


of Chopin’s nocturnes. Then the child’s countenance 
assumes a rapt expression of spiritual content, and, as 
she wears this look, no one can doubt that the serene 
beauty of the piece is in harmony with, and understood 
by her budding soul. 

And there is yet the other baby. The parents of this 
one are well-to-do, and live in a large apartment, most 
of the windows of which peer blindly into a so-called light 
shaft. The nursery faces on this shaft. It is a fairly 
big room with painted walls that are devoid of decora¬ 
tions of any kind. Both parents come of hard-headed 
New England stock in whose make-up there is no grain 
of artistic feeling. 

As a consequence, the house throughout is thoroughly 
well furnished, but for use only. Flowers there are none, 
pictures but a few, and these hard, black and white en¬ 
gravings ; the piano is kept shut, because playing tends 
to stain the keys and encourage frivolity; and a Puri¬ 
tanical severity of conversation and demeanor charac¬ 
terizes all the members of the household, who smile but 
seldom and laugh less. 

The baby’s nurse is a Scotch woman, a follower of 
Calvin, and consequently a believer in the cheerful doc¬ 
trine that everybody is irrevocably predestined either 
to damnation or salvation. 

Can you picture the baby—the tiny human chameleon 
that, like all of its kind, takes color from its surround¬ 
ings? It is a solemn, sallow-faced child, with but few, 
if any, of the charms of babyhood. Its eyes are hollow 
and wistful, and it smiles but rarely. It seems to be too 
much depressed even to be peevish. Healthy it is not, 
and it sleeps poorly. 


[ 237 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


If you have the gift of sympathy with children, you 
feel instinctively that its nature, or at least that part 
of it which craves for beauty, is being starved. 

Parents to whose care the Almighty has committed 
little ones, be mindful that you are not traitors to your 
trust. Beauty is as much a child’s prerogative as are 
its food and clothing. 

Draw up the shades and let your babies revel in the 
beauty of the sunlight. Let there be things bright and 
beautiful about the house. See to it that your child 
knows the beauty of untrammeled limbs. Let it hear the 
beauty of its mother’s voice in song. 

And from the first, teach it and yourself the beauty 
of kind words, of patience and tender attention. 

SCHOOLING NOT SO IMPORTANT AS HEALTH 

And do not be in too great a hurry to “begin the edu¬ 
cation” of your child. The best education you can pos¬ 
sibly give him is to teach him first to be a good human 
animal—with a well-developed physique. 

When a child’s body is growing as it should, Nature 
doesn’t pay much attention to teaching its brain the 
multiplication table. If, however, you make play of 
education, encouraging the youngster, from the first, to 
ask the million and one questions that every healthy, 
normal child can ask, he will accumulate a really sur¬ 
prising amount of education. 

Alexander and Carl von Humbolt, two of the best 
and most soundly educated men the world has ever 
known, were educated in this “hap-hazard” way. They 
had tutors who talked to them, and answered their 
questions about everything—especially about all the 
[238] 



The Psychology of the Child 


wonderful things of Nature that were found on, or were 
suggested by, their father’s immense estate. 

Of course, not many of us can enjoy these splendid 
advantages. Yet we can make the most of what the 
gods have provided for us, and give to our children 
ourselves, our love, and the invaluable aid to mental 
development that comes from the careful answering of 
questions. 

This is a big secret, in a very few words. Put the 
sugestion into practice, and increase the happiness of 
your children. 

And, incidentally, you yourself will also be a big 
gainer. For, in the delightful interchange of the mind’s 
coinage, the more you spend, the more will you have left. 

The point of view of the child in his relation with his 
parents, his playmates and companions, his teachers, 
and the people with whom he is brought in contact, is 
an intensely interesting study. 

The gradual evolution, the subtle development from 
the simple to the complex, from the homogeneous to the 
heterogeneous, as Spencer would say, is one of the most 
fascinating of studies, and has furnished the theme for 
innumerable profoundly written tomes. 

Briefly, however, it may be summed up by saying that 
the evolution of the child, even the most delicately bred 
and kindly disposed child, implies the obliteration of 
savage instincts inherent in the human animal and their 
replacement by a feeling of social dependence and a cer¬ 
tain responsibility toward society and toward those with 
whom the child is brought in contact, that tames the 
savage in its nature and brings out the cultured pro¬ 
duct of civilization. 


[ 239 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


There are few children who do not have to be taught 
that it is not right to pull the cat’s tail, stick their 
fingers in the puppy’s eyes, break the dishes, and take 
for their own whatever they can reach and carry away. 

However, gentle admonition, or, when necessary, a 
stern reprimand, will accomplish wonders in an incred¬ 
ibly short time, if persisted in. 

Many mothers visit their nervousness and lack of 
self-control on their children, treating them at times 
with unusual severity; while, on the other hand, under 
other conditions, they may totally ignore actions that 
are even more reprehensible. Because of this, the chil¬ 
dren do not secure a proper sense of values. The ele¬ 
ment of consistency has been overlooked. Every mother 
should remember that if an act is wrong, it is wrong 
any hour of the day and night, or any day of the week, 
and the child should be impressed with this fact. 

If, on the contrary, a child’s act is merely an expres¬ 
sion of healthy good nature, and is not attended by any 
evil consequences to anybody or anything, there is no 
real reason why he should be reprimanded and conse¬ 
quently made to suffer from a feeling of humiliation. 

TEACHING SEX FACTS TO CHILDREN 

As every reader of my articles is aware, I have con¬ 
sistently advocated for many, many years a liberal point 
of view in reference to the question of sex knowledge. 

Freud, Coriat and other psycho-analysts have proved 
that the sex life of the child begins at an incredibly early 
age. I can only caution mothers carefully to observe 
the habits of their children. I would also urge them 
that at a very early age they should, by wise counsel, 
[240] 



The Psychology oe the Child 


or by some of the many methods of imparting sex 
knowledge which are now so popular, instruct their chil¬ 
dren in these profound questions in a clean, wholesome 
way. 

This may serve to turn the little feet in the path of 
health, vigor and strength, instead of allowing them to 
travel the unwholesome, unnatural course that leads 
to abnormality, hysteria, or insanity itself. 


17 


[ 241 ] 
















































PART III 

Disorders and Diseases of Infancy 
and Childhood 

“An infant crying in the night: 

An infant crying for the light: 

And with no language but a cry.” 

— Tennyson. 







CHAPTER XX 


Habits 

T HE bad habits developed by children are a source 
of constant worry and anxiety to the mother and 
family. And well they may be, for they are very difficult 
to correct, and, if not corrected, may be followed by 
most grave and disfiguring consequences. 

Such habits as lip-biting or lip-sucking, tongue- 
protrusion, thumb-sucking, finger-sucking, or nail-bit¬ 
ing, are a very frequent cause of facial deformities. 

The tender tissues of the infant or child respond to 
these continued pressures or pullings, and sometimes 
irretrievable damage is done to mind and body, for a 
faulty development of the jaws and dental arches may 
result, and this involves, as explained in another chap¬ 
ter, a long train of ills, including interference with the 
development of the brain. 

Still another evil result of the sucking habit is that 
it unduly stimulates the flow of saliva, thus not only 
wasting this fluid, but changing the character of the 
stomach secretions. This may lead to various diges¬ 
tive disturbances, for the normal stomach juices are 
acid in reaction, while the reaction of the saliva is alka¬ 
line. The protein or albumen in the baby’s food will not 
digest so readily if he is continually swallowing alkaline 
saliva. 

All the foregoing applies to the sucking of nipples 
and pacifiers, as well as of thumbs and fingers. The 
former is not only bad in itself, but tends to encourage 
the sucking of other things. 

[245] 


How to Raise the Baby 


If mothers realized the dangers of the sucking habit, 
they would break it at whatever cost to their own or 
their neighbors’ peace of mind, and this is sometimes a 
very difficult thing to do. 

It will not do to put on mitts for the purpose of keep¬ 
ing the thumbs and fingers out of the mouth, for biting 
and sucking these rough fabrics is even worse, if possible, 
than sucking the fingers. 

A celluloid or rubber ball, into which the hands are 
thrust, has been found excellent in preventing this suck¬ 
ing of thumbs and fingers. 

Good results have also been obtained by placing some 
substance with a very disagreeable or bitter taste, such 
as extract of aloes, infusion of quassia or assafoetida, 
upon the thumbs or fingers. These mixtures will make 
the sucking of these parts so unpleasant that the child 
will usually discontinue the practice. In very bad cases, 
however, even this treatment is of no avail. 

If everything else fails, the only thing to do is to keep 
the thumbs and fingers out of the mouth by force. This 
can be done by making the sleeves of the night-dress ex¬ 
tend considerably below the hands and tying the open¬ 
ings; by binding the hands to the sides at night, and 
during the day, too, if this should be necessary; or put¬ 
ting the elbow in pasteboard splints so that the arm 
cannot be bent to reach the mouth. 

This treatment must be persisted in for many months 
if success is to be assured. 

ONE CAUSE OF THE SUCKING HABIT 

Many people, even many doctors, do not seem to 
know that one of the principal causes of the sucking 
[246] 



Habits 


habit is malnutrition. If the nursing mother indulges 
in an excessive amount of animal food, or of highly 
seasoned foods, if she uses such products as refined 
sugar and vinegar, the baby will have unnatural crav¬ 
ings which it will try to satisfy by thumb-sucking. 

If sugar of milk, cane sugar, malt sugar, or syrup, is 
added to the baby’s food, it will be tormented by thirst 
(as you can readily understand if you try it yourself), 

[ 247 ] 



Thumb-sucking may look “cute,” but it is a bad habit 
and should be discouraged. 






How to Raise the Baby 


and, as in the previous case, will seek relief by thumb¬ 
sucking. Remember to give every lip-sucking, thumb- 
biting baby all the water it cares to drink. You will 
find this a decided help in breaking the habit. 

An insufficient amount of food will, of course, have 
the same effect as improper food. Mothers often do 
not have enough milk to nourish their infants properly. 

Another cause of the trouble may be the bad judg¬ 
ment of the mother or nurse. Many mothers and a few 
lazy nurses make the mistake of starting a child on the 
thumb-sucking habit by inserting its finger or thumb in 
its mouth when it goes to sleep, hoping thereby to make 
it more contented and happy. But the temporary com¬ 
fort is far more than offset by the likelihood of inducing 
indigestion (through the waste of saliva), infection, or 
adenoids. 

Watch your child closely when he is going to sleep, 
and never, under any circumstances, permit him to put 
his finger, or a corner of his bed covering, or any for¬ 
eign object, in his mouth. 

BEWARE THE PACIFIER 

I cannot leave this subject without another strong 
word of caution against the use of the “pacifier,” or 
“comforter”—given to the child to suck, in order to 
keep it quiet. 

The pacifier is not what its name would indicate it 
to be. It is, in reality, a distributer of the germs of 
highly contagious diseases—tuberculosis, diphtheria and 
other infections—that it picks up by being slobbered 
over and dropped into all sorts of unsanitary places. 
But even if one could be assured of its being always 
[ 248 ] 



Habits 


clean, it would still be dangerous for the reasons already 
given. 


STAMMERING, STUTTERING, LISPING AND 
OTHER SPEECH DEFECTS 

Many people use the terms “stammering” and “stut¬ 
tering” interchangeably, although they do not mean the 
same thing at all. Stammering implies a defect of 
speech which renders the child almost unable—at times 
wholly unable—to pronounce words. Stuttering is a 
condition in which the child repeats rapidly the con¬ 
sonant at the beginning of a word, as “c-c-c-cat.” Both 
these habits, as well as lisping, are of nervous origin. 
They are not commonly met before the age of six, al¬ 
though occasionally they may make their appearance 
at a somewhat earlier age. 

The most effective treatment is prevention, and the 
method employed for this, purpose may also be used to 
effect a cure after the habit has been acquired. 

From the very beginning the child should be taught 
to speak deliberately and slowly, pronouncing every 
word with distinctness. Any word with which it has 
difficulty should be repeated distinctly by some one else, 
until the child is familiar with the sound. 

The effect of adverse suggestion must be carefully 
avoided. The child should be kept free from associating 
with anybody who stammers or stutters. It must be 
cautioned never to talk when excited. The moment there 
is the slightest tendency to stammer, stutter, or lisp, the 
child should be gently admonished to stop until he has 
caught his breath and regained control of the muscles 
and nerves of his speech organs. 

[ 249 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


Breathing exercises are of great value, inasmuch as 
the disorder seems, in part, to be due to lack of control 
of the diaphragm. Holding the breath for several sec¬ 
onds, letting it out slowly, or with regular interruptions, 
has been found extremely useful, when repeated several 
times daily. 

Children who stutter or stammer should be taught 
to take a full breath before beginning each sentence. 
Voice training should be a part of their regular curricu¬ 
lum. They should practice by uttering the vowel sounds 
slowly and without hesitation, beginning with a whisper 
and gradually developing to the full voice. Afterward 
the vowel sounds may be preceded by consonants. 

The use of verse is a great help in overcoming the 
tendency to stammering, as is also recitation in concert 
with other children, as practiced in most of our Public 
Schools. 

These conditions can all be cured, if the mother will 
have patience and persistence, and confidence in her own 
ability to bring about the desired result. 

DIRT-EATING-ITS CAUSES AND HOW TO CURE IT 

Dirt-eating is usually classed as an abnormal 
condition, an essentially morbid craving—hardly 
ever to be found in a normal child. This is true if we 
consider the result of faulty nutrition as a manifesta¬ 
tion of abnormality. For I am convinced that the main 
cause for dirt-eating is mineral starvation, brought 
about by a diet deficient in alkaline bases. 

Remember that the habit rarely develops until after 
the third year—when the average American child is on 
a “pappy” diet, being fed on farina, cream of wheat, 
[ 250 ] 




Habits 


corn flakes, white bread, refined sugar, and similar soft, 
denatured foods. 

The habit, no doubt, is aggravated by general nerv¬ 
ousness. My contention, however, is that the nervous¬ 
ness is a result of the mineral starvation, just as is the 
craving of the little one for the calcium salts and mag¬ 
nesium that he instinctively expects to get out of the 
clay. 

If your child has shown any tendency to eat dirt, 
give him plenty of whole-wheat bread and other whole- 
grain products; also vegetables and fruits in abundance, 
and all the rich lime-containing milk he can drink. 
Then, with a little moral suasion, you will see this habit 
fade away. 

nose-picking 

Constant picking at the nose in infants and young 
children is almost invariably associated with some form 
of intestinal irritation. Not infrequently it arises as a 
result of the presence of worms—most frequently seat- 
worms, or pinworms, in the intestinal canal. 

The quickest and perhaps the most certain method 
of ridding the bowel of pinworms is to inject into the 
intestine a pint or more of tepid water, into which two 
tablespoonfuls of common salt have been dissolved. 

This will kill or paralyze the worms, which will then 
pass out of the bowel in the stool. 

snoring 

Snoring is a peculiar rough noise produced by deep 
inspiration and expiration through the nose and open 
mouth in sleep, usually while lying on the back. The 
noise is caused by the vibration of the soft palate and 
[ 251 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


the uvula—the little soft pink finger hanging down in 
the back of the mouth. The same bad results will come 
from snoring as from adenoids—not from the snor¬ 
ing itself but from the mouth breathing which is asso¬ 
ciated with it. 

A bandage fitted over the jaw and head so as to hold 
the mouth closed will often be sufficient to correct the 
habit. A towel tied about the body with the knot at the 
back will have a tendency to keep the child lying on one 
side. Examination should be made of the nasal pas¬ 
sages, as these are usually more or less obstructed in 
snorers. If there are adenoids, there is apt to be snor¬ 
ing, and treatment should be given for the reduction of 
these growths. 


[ 25 * 2 ] 




CHAPTER XXI 


First Aid in Emergencies 

E VERY mother should be provided with an “emer* 
gency outfit.” 

Bulb Syringe . The most important of these “first 
aid” helps is a bulb syringe, capable of holding from 
four to six ounces, with a hard rubber nozzle. This will 
be found an invaluable means of quickly evacuating the 
lower bowel in all conditions in which constipation— 
especially when associated with fever—is present. 

In using this syringe, the bulb should be compressed, 
and the fluid drawn into it. The nozzle should then be 
thoroughly anointed with soap, vaseline, or sweet oil, 
and gently inserted in the rectum. The water can then 
be slowly forced up into the colon. 

Fountain Syringe. If a large injection, flooding the 
entire lower bowel, is thought desirable or necessary, it 
would be better to use a fountain syringe. 

As it is extremely difficult to get a child to retain a 
large injection, it would be well to wrap a narrow rollei- 
bandage around the nozzle, about two inches from the 
top. 

This can be pressed firmly against the anus during 
the injection, and will prevent the water from being 
evacuated until the pressure of the padded tube is re¬ 
leased. 

Colon Tube. A large enema should be given as a 
“high” enema, rather than the ordinary “low’’ enema. 
A colon tube for this purpose can be secured in prac¬ 
tically any drug store. These tubes are of semi-flexible 
[ 253 ] 


How to Raise the Baby 


rubber throughout, without hard tips or nozzles. Secure 
the smallest tube for tiny babies, larger ones for older 
children. 

After being well oiled or soaped, the colon tube is 
gently inserted into the rectum and slowly passed 
into the colon for a distance of six to ten or twelve 
inches. If the water is allowed to gently flow from the 
tube into the rectum after the tip has been inserted for 
an inch or two, the tube may be passed without discom¬ 
fort as high into the colon as considered necessary. 

The enema is given while the fountain syringe is sus¬ 
pended some distance above the bed, couch, or table, 
on which the baby lies. For a child under six months 
of age it is best to have this distance not over twelve to 
eighteen inches, so as to avoid a too forcible flow of the 
water. 

Large injections should always be given very slowly, 
the child in the meantime lying upon its left side, so as to 
facilitate the passage of the water into the lower in¬ 
testine. 

Hot-Water Bag. Another valuable first-aid requis¬ 
ite is a hot-water bag. No mother should ever be with¬ 
out the means of applying heat to the abdomen of the 
baby during attacks of colic and similar disturbances, 
or to the extremities, in the event of any deficiency in 
the circulation. These bags are made in various sizes 
and shapes. It would be well, however, to get one that 
is relatively small in size. And remember never to com¬ 
pletely fill the bag. A bag two-thirds full will conform 
more readily to the surface to which it is applied, and 
give better service, even though the water may have to 
be heated a little more frequently. 

[ 254 ] 



First Aid in Emergencies 


Ice Bags. Either the hot-water bag or an ice bag 
will occasionally be required ^ to relieve congestion and 
pain—such as headache or abdominal conditions, or for 
a rapid or painful heart action, etc. The ice bag should 
not be used, however, unless two or three layers of wet 
cloth are placed between the bag and the flesh; for the 
ice is too paralyzing to nerve action if used for a con¬ 
siderable time, while its use for a short time only is 
usually followed by a marked reaction and an aggrava¬ 
tion of the initial symptoms. 

Combination Hot-Water Bag and Syringe. It is 
perhaps well to mention here that a combination hot- 
water bottle and fountain syringe has been devised some¬ 
what recently, and this, if procurable, would be a con¬ 
venient, economical and satisfactory appliance to have 
in any home. 

Bulb Atomizer and Boric Acid. A bulb atomizer, 
with a little boric-acid solution, is also a rather con¬ 
venient thing to have in the baby equipment. As a gen¬ 
eral rule, I do not advocate the use of any form of medi¬ 
cation in the nasal passages, but a mild alkaline spray, 
such as a saturated solution of boric acid, is excellent 
for maintaining strict cleanliness of these passages, and 
will sometimes prevent infections that might otherwise 
gain a foothold. 

Turpentine. It may be advisable to have also m the 
emergency outfit a bottle of turpentine. A few drops 
of turpentine, sprinkled on a towel wrung out of hot 
water, and applied to the abdomen, affords almost in^ 
stant relief in many cases of colic, and constitutes an 
excellent counter-irritant in all disorders in which it is 
necessary to stimulate the local circulation. 

[ 255 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


Vaseline. A tube of vaseline should also be provided 
for anointing syringe nozzles, for applications to crusts 
or scales on the scalp, and for divers other purposes 
that may develop from time to time. 

Liquid Soap. A bottle of synol, or some other liquid 
antiseptic soap, should also be a part of the outfit. It 
should be used whenever there is any indication of local 
infection or skin eruption. 

Stearate of Zinc. A box of stearate of zinc, with a 
perforated shaker top, should also be in the possession 
of the mother. This is excellent for preventing diaper 
rash, or for the chafing which constitutes such a source 
of annoyance with chubby babies, particularly in the 
summer-time. It is very soothing to a tender, delicate 
skin which has been irritated by urinary and fecal dis¬ 
charges. 

Absorbent Cotton. Absorbent cotton should always 
be on hand and convenient for application to the ears, 
the nostrils, and other parts of the body, as required. 

Miscellaneous. In addition there should also be on 
hand a small quantity of sterile gauze; a small bottle 
of iodine; hydrogen dioxide (peroxide) ; baking soda; 
antiphlogistine; and milk of magnesia. The last named 
is valuable for temporarily correcting acid conditions 
of the stomach, so common in infancy and early child¬ 
hood. 

These articles and supplies are the most important 
of those that are likely to be required. They will be 
found extremely useful to the mother, and will save 
many an anxious moment. They may obviate condi¬ 
tions that might, if neglected, become a source of grave 
danger. 


[ 256 ] 



First Aid in Emergencies 


BUMPS AND BRUISES 

For the bumps and bruises to which the child is sub¬ 
ject there is little to be done except to attend to the 
local symptoms of inflammation by means of alternate 
hot and cold compresses, or possibly a cold pack, kept 
on the parts until the active symptoms of inflammation 
have subsided. 

If this is not sufficient, it would be well to use some 
local defervescent, such as an application of hot anti- 
phlogistine or antithermoline to the parts. Complete 
rest should also be insisted upon. 

If persisted in for a few days, this treatment will 
usually suffice to allay all inflammation and restore 
normal circulation to the parts. 

BURNS AND SCALDS 

Burns and scalds should be treated by the immediate 
application of a saturated solution of bicarbonate of 
soda—common baking soda. 

If this is applied before the skin is raised in a blister, 
a painful condition may usually be prevented. Cold 
compresses—cloths wrung out of cold water—cold 
baths, iced water, or diluted cologne water, will often 
relieve the smarting pain at this stage. 

When there is a considerable area involved a phy¬ 
sician should be placed in charge of the case at once. 
If treatment must be given before he arrives, a bath 
of slightly warmed water, or an application of some 
healing oily fluid, covered with a thick layer of gauze, 
is to be recommended. Cotton should not be used on 
burns, because the fibres aggravate the raw wounds. 

One remedy sugested by physicians is old-fashioned 

[ 257 ] 


18 



How to Raise the Baby 


carron oil. This is made of equal parts of lime water 
and linseed oil; it should be smeared on liberally and 
then covered with a lint or gauze dressing. 

Olive oil and the yolk of egg are also extensively used. 

Many medical men use a one per cent solution of pic¬ 
ric acid. Gauze saturated with this solution is applied 
to the burn or scalded surface; then it is covered with 
gauze and a bandage applied. 

This dressing is left in place for two or three days, 
being kept wet all the time with the solution mentioned. 
Before being removed it must always be thoroughly wet 
with the solution, so that the skin is not peeled from the 
surfaces. 


CUTS AND HEMORRHAGE 

These are conditions that cause the young mother 
much concern. If a blood-vessel is severed there is noth¬ 
ing to do, of course, except to send for a physician, who 
will pick up the severed ends of the veins or artery with 
a small pair of forceps, and ligate them by tying a 
fine catgut suture around the gaping ends. 

This will be followed by a thorough cleansing, to 
prevent infection, and then by the application of a com¬ 
press, or dry dressing, which will tend to exclude the 
air and the micro-organisms that might otherwise be 
carried to the exposed surfaces. 

If the cut is only of a superficial nature, however, it 
should be allowed to bleed freely, for blood is the best 
of all antiseptics. After the blood has dried, an ad¬ 
hesive strip should be applied, to draw the edges of the 
wound together, and a clean bandage of gauze placed 
over all. If the cut is deep, remember it has to heal 
[ 258 ] 



First Aid in Emergencies 


from the inside first; therefore don’t close entirely the 
outside of such a wound. Leave openings for drainage. 

CHAFING 

All babies, particularly fat ones, are likely to be dis¬ 
turbed by chafing in the various folds of the body. Lack 
of cleanliness and soiled diapers may be responsible for 
this. The bowel discharge may be acid or otherwise 
irritating. Use olive oil, vaseline, or stearate of zinc, in 
the folds in cases resulting from irritating discharges. 
In others use a talcum powder, or put powdered cotton 
or gauze in the folds. 

CRACKS 

When the skin has become dry and harsh and broken 
warm water should be applied with a very soft cloth and 
another soft cloth used to dry the parts very 
thoroughly. Then use the moist ointments mentioned 
above. 

CHAPPING AND ROUGHENING OF SKIN 

Be careful about exposing the body to cold harsh 
winds. Be sure to dry parts well after bathing. Oil 
mav be applied with benefit to the affected areas. 

FOR A NOSEBLEED 

Many children are subject to recurrent attacks of 
nosebleed which are frequently the cause of great alarm 
to the household. This condition may occasionally be 
due to what is known as hemophilia—a congenital lack 
of coagulating power in the blood. But as a general 
rule it is due to mineral starvation and to the too liberal 
use of meat. 


[ 259 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


This excessive use of animal food by a young child 
not only tends to produce hemorrhage, but also is the 
cause of general irritability and quarrelsomeness. 

The active symptoms of nosebleed can usually be con¬ 
trolled by applications of cold water to the nose and 
especially to the back of the neck. Heat to the spine 
is better in some cases. Douching the nose with hot or 
cold water containing salt or lemon juice is good. Hav¬ 
ing the child hold the breath for several seconds will 
help control the bleeding, and standing with the back 
against the wall and hands stretched high overhead, 
also against the wall, will stop it in a few minutes. 

Pressure applied quite firmty to the upper lip just 
beneath each nostril, or at the root of the nose, is an¬ 
other measure which is usually effective. Hot foot-baths 
are also excellent. Caution the child against blowing the 
nose until long after the hemorrhage is checked. 

DUST IN THE EYE 

If she is sufficiently careful, it is not at all difficult for 
the mother to take a wooden match, place it on the 
upper eyelid, and then, by folding the eyelashes up over 
the match and rolling the eyelid back, to expose the 
entire under surface of the lid. 

The offending speck can then be readily seen and re¬ 
moved with the corner of a clean, very soft, handker¬ 
chief. 

SPLINTERS 

There is only one way to remove a splinter—and that 
is to pull or dig it out. 

This process should be as gentle as circumstances per¬ 
mit; but it may be necessary to dig down under the 
[ 260 ] 



First Aid in Emergencies 


particle and lift it out, or else to expose it so that the 
point may be grasped by a pair of small tweezers. 

As a splinter is very apt to be contaminated by dust 
or soiled earth, etc., it is a good plan, after withdrawing 
it, to suck some of the blood from the wound, also to 
apply a little tincture of iodine, or hydrogen peroxide, 
or alcohol. Usually no further attention will be re¬ 
quired, and the child will soon forget all about the mat¬ 
ter. 

HOLDING THE BREATH AND CHOKING 

Many children have the habit of holding the breath 
until they are almost unconscious. This is essentially 
a habit engendered by “temper.” 

One thing a mother should always remember in con¬ 
nection with this habit is that no person can possibly 
commit suicide by holding his breath. For as soon as 
unconsciousness is brought about by lack of air, the 
natural function of breathing is restored. 

If the choking is due to the presence of foreign bodies 
in the throat, or the accumulation of mucus in the 
air passages, this can be overcome by thrusting your 
index finger down the child’s throat and forcibly open¬ 
ing up the air passage. 

foreign bodies in the ear or nose 

If the child has put something in its ear which can 
be seen and removed by lifting out with a covered tooth¬ 
pick, or some other available implement, there is no 
cause for worry. But if it cannot be seen, or these 
simple methods fail to dislodge it, it will be best to send 
at once for some one competent to remove such ob- 
[ 261 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


structions and equipped with the necessary instruments 
for this purpose. 

If the foreign body is in the nose, the child should be 
coaxed to blow the nostril strongly, while the empty nos¬ 
tril is being compressed. If this is not effective, a physi¬ 
cian should be called. With a cotton-tipped probe, 
he will force the object back into the posterior portion 
of the nose from which it can be ejected by spitting. 

FEVER 

Fever should be treated first by a thorough elimina¬ 
tion of the toxins accumulated in the bowel. This can 
be accomplished most rapidly by a cleansing enema. 

It may be necessary also to empty the stomach by 
vomiting—as explained in another chapter. 

It is always well to withhold food as long as any 
fever exists. For the presence of the fever signifies that 
the physiological forces of the system are disturbed to 
such an extent as to make it impossible to convert food 
into material useful for body building, or other physio¬ 
logical purposes. 

WHEN THE CHILD SWALLOWS A PIN 

Young children may swallow foreign objects of every 
conceivable kind. Almost as soon as they can grasp 
objects they have an inclination to put these objects 
in the mouth. 

Some of these swallowers are remarkable for their 
extreme youth. Thus Dr. Willy Meyer some time ago 
reported the case of a baby of seven weeks who swal¬ 
lowed an open safety-pin; it passed out of the rectum 
nineteen hours later. 


[ 262 ] 





First Aid in Emergencies 


If your child swallows a nail, pin, whistle, or any for¬ 
eign body, do not let yourself be persuaded to administer 
a purgative. 

In the case of a sharp-pointed object this frequently 
results in perforation of the intestine. 

The proper thing to do is to give the child solid food 
for a day or two, so as to cover the foreign object with 
a sort of protective coating. 

Plenty of potatoes, rice, crackers, or bread, is excel¬ 
lent, and one of the best things to give older children is 
mashed potatoes, mixed with a considerable quantity of 
absorbent cotton, picked in small pieces. 

After two or three days, if the foreign body has not 
yet passed, a dose of castor oil or mineral oil may be 
given. 

Sometimes the foreign body passes down to the sig¬ 
moid flexure, the last turn of the gut, and gets stuck 
there. 

In this event the object may often be reached and re¬ 
moved by inserting the finger in the rectum. 

When possible it is often expedient to follow the down¬ 
ward course of the foreign body by taking a series of 
X-ray photographs. 


[ 263 ] 



CHAPTER XXII 


Common Ills of Childhood 

HILE this book is intended primarily for the 



V V mother of a baby, or very young child, I cannot 
refrain from giving here a piece of advice that may, per¬ 
haps, be somewhat more applicable to slightly older chil¬ 
dren. It is this: 

Don’t make the mistake of keeping the child in bed un¬ 
less it desires to remain there. When a child wants to 
be up and about he is probably well enough to be up, 
and even when ill he will usually recover far more 
quickly if he is allowed to follow his instincts. 

The allopathic idea of keeping a child in bed when¬ 
ever it is ill is absolutely against natural law, and is in 
many cases a direct cause of death. 

When my children are ill, if they want to stay in bed 
they are allowed the privilege. If they want to go out 
and play, their inclinations are accepted as sufficient 
evidence of their physical needs at that time. Human 
instincts are usually a good guide. They are especially 
so in infant or child life. Therefore do not make your 
child lie in bed if he does not want to, and thus invite 
serious complications. Being “up and about” stimulates 
the life processes to such an extent as to materially les¬ 
sen the accumulation of poisons lingering in the system; 
and these poisons are the direct cause of the symptoms 
associated with practically all serious ailments. 

While in all serious disturbances of health it may be 
advisable to call a physician, there are a few things 


[ 264 ] 


Common Ills of Childhood 


about the nursing or management of a sick child that 
every mother should know. One of the most important 
is that children usually respond quickly to the proper 
treatment if given a chance. Therefore, give no med¬ 
icines; learn to keep hands off for the greater part of 
the time; allow no unnecessary aggravations to harass 
the really sick child, such as needless passing through 
or disturbing of the room, noises, etc. Usually all vis¬ 
iting should be taboo. 

Water should always be convenient, for a sick child 
should drink considerable water. The mouth should be 
cleansed carefully each morning and evening. Never 
neglect the bowels during illness, or at any other 
time. 

Bedclothing should be changed frequently, but with¬ 
out disturbing the patient. Always have open windows, 
and see that there is a cleansing draft of air after an of¬ 
fensive bowel movement. External heat is frequently 
called for, and this may be applied by means of hot- 
water bottles, by sand or salt bags, or by bricks, irons, 
plates, stove-lids, fireless-cooker heating plates, etc., 
wrapped carefully to avoid burning the patient. 

When cold is called for, the water bottle, or ice bag 
may be used partly filled with ice, but there should be 
several layers of cloth between the cold bag and the 
body. Never apply ice directly to the body. 

Every mother should become familiar with the normal 
rate of respiration, pulse-beat and temperature of her 
baby. 

The average rapidity of breathing in children varies 
with the age, and to a certain degree with the individual 
characteristics of the child. 

[ 265 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


At birth, and for the first fortnight or three weeks, 
respirations vary from 30 to 50 per minute, averaging 
about 45. 

During the remainder of the first year, they average 
23 to 33. From one to two years they average about 
28. From two to four years about 25. From four to 
fifteen years from 18 to 25; and with adults from 16 to 
18 per minute. 

When the child is asleep these rates are from a quar¬ 
ter to a fifth less, up to the age of four or five years. 
After this, the breathing is but slightly slower during 
sleep. 

In order to determine the frequency of respiration, 
the mother should watch the “in and out” movements of 
the abdomen, or else put her hand lightly over the abdo¬ 
men and feel it. It is necessary to be very gentle about 
this, as the slightest excitement increases the rate of 
respiration very materially. The best time for observ¬ 
ing the respiratory rate is during sleep. 

It must never be forgotten that while children are 
very susceptible to illness, and are extremely sick when 
they are sick, they get well rapidly, if the proper meas¬ 
ures for relieving the sickness are taken. 

The chief of these measures, I cannot too often 
emphasize, are fasting, the enema, plentiful water 
drinking, wet packs, proper baths and a liberal 
fruit diet. 

With this treatment, ninety-nine cases out of a hun¬ 
dred will recover. For it is distinctly in line with Na¬ 
ture’s methods, it is working in harmony with natural 
laws. 


[ 266 ] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


THE PULSE-RATE 

The pulse-rate shares to a very great extent the 
irregularity of respiration. The slightest excitement, 
such as crying, or even feeding, increases the rate of the 
pulse so materially as to make the observations drawn 
under these conditions of little or no value. The 
younger the child the more patent this deviation is. 
Consequently the mother need feel no anxiety if a young 
child should temporarily have a pulse-rate of a dozen 
or twenty beats above the normal rate. 

Even during sleeping the pulse-rate, in very young 
children, varies materially, so that deviations which 
might be considered extremely dangerous if met with in 
an adult need occasion no alarm whatsoever—unless 
they are accompanied by a decided increase in temper¬ 
ature. 

The pulse may be felt best over the heart, although 
if the mother has a very delicate sense of touch, she may 
get it from the carotid artery in the neck, directly un¬ 
der the angle of the jaw on the left side, or even in the 
wrist. 

The normal average pulse-rate at different ages 
should be approximately as follows : 


AGE no. beats per minute 

At birth.from 130 to 150 

For the first month.from 120 to 140 

From the first to sixth month.about 125 

From six months to a year.about 118 

From the first to the second year.from 110 to 118 

From the second to fourth year.from 100 to 110 

At six years.about 90 to 100 

At eight years.from 88 to 90 

In adult life.from 70 to 72 


[ 267 ] 












How to Raise the Baby 


TEMPERATURE AS A GUIDE TO HEALTH 

Every mother should be familiar with the normal 
temperature of the baby, and also with the use of the 
clinical thermometer. For the temperature indicates, 



Taking baby’s temperature by rectum. The Vanta 
shirt worn in illustration does away with both pins 
and buttons. 

[ 268 ] 











Common Ills of Childhood 


with a surprising degree of exactitude, the presence of 
diseased conditions within the body. 

It is impossible to estimate these deviations in tem¬ 
perature by placing the hand on the baby’s forehead, or 
over the abdomen, as so many mothers attempt to do, 
because even if an approximately accurate estimate 
could be made in this way, the surface temperature in 
very many diseases may be normal or subnormal, while 
the actual body temperature is decidedly above normal. 
In all disease accompanied by circulatory disturbances, 
this is the rule rather than the exception. 

.la ' .-a-— —J 

Ordinary type of clinical thermometer graduated in two- 
tenths of a degree. 

The instrument used should be of the self-registering 
variety, made entirely of glass, without any outside 
covering. Most of the instruments now used are so 
shaped that the front acts as a magnifying lens, making 
it very much more easy to read the mercury column, 
and its corresponding figures. 

The temperature may be taken either in the armpit, 
the mouth, or the rectum. The child may be turned 
gently upon its side, with the thighs flexed, after which 
the bulb of the thermometer, which has been dipped in 
sweet oil, may be gently inserted an inch or more into 
the anus by a screwing movement, and held there for 
the minute or two required for the complete registration 
of the degree of temperature. 

The normal temperature of the baby varies some- 

[ 269 ] 






How to Raise the Baby 


what during the first week of life, but subsequently 
settles down to between 98 and 98.6 degrees, as is the 
case with the adult. A variation of a few fifths of a 
degree should occasion no alarm, but if there should be 
a showing of a hundred, or more, on the Fahrenheit 
scale of the thermometer, especially if this temperature 
is accompanied by evidences of feverishness and restless¬ 
ness, it will be quite evident that the child is suffering 
from some form of toxemia and requires attention. 



Baby’s temperature may also be taken at the armpit. Place 
thermometer in armpit and hold close to side for two minutes. 

[ 270 ] 








Common Ills of Childhood 


It must be remembered that any toxemia (systemic 
poisoning) may occasion these disturbances in tem¬ 
perature. So it is necessary to seek for the cause and 
remove it, if a normal condition is to be restored. 

THE ASPECTS OF DISEASE 

The mother, by this time, is thoroughly familiar with 
what I might call the aspect of health in her baby. The 
quiet content, the animated expression, the satisfaction 
with itself and with its surroundings, alternating with 
good healthy fits of crying, are unmistakable charac¬ 
teristics of a healthy baby. 

The aspect of the child in ill health is so different 
that it should leave no room for doubt as to its condi¬ 
tion. 

The position assumed by the infant when it is suf¬ 
fering from any disease, is something a mother must 
carefully consider. When a child is in pain, or is fever¬ 
ish, it usually tosses and turns about, even in its sleep. 
When it is awake, it is insistent in its desire to be lifted 
out of its crib, walked about the room, or put down 
again. 

However, not infrequently, the beginning of acute 
disease is marked by a certain form of collapse, in which 
the child may lie stupid and inattentive for hours at a 
time. In prolonged illnesses, where the exhaustion is 
great, and in severe acute conditions, the child may lie 
with its face turned toward the ceiling, at times scarcely 
breathing. 

If a child attempts to assume a sitting posture while 
ill, it is usually an evidence of difficulty in breathing, 
probably as a result of some inflammatory condition of 
the respiratory tract. 


[ 271 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


If a child sleeps with its mouth open, and head thrown 
back, it is likely that he may suffer from some enlarge¬ 
ment of the tonsils. 

A constant desire on the part of a child to bury its 
face in a mother’s lap, or in the pillow, often indicates 
irritation from the effects of light in the eyes, or even 
the beginning of some inflammatory process. 

THE COLOR OF THE SKIN 

The color of the skin is very frequently a definite 
index to the state of the child’s health. When discol¬ 
ored and yellow, it usually indicates some disorder of 
the liver, or gall-bladder, of which jaundice is a promi¬ 
nent symptom. 

If the skin of the face is of a bluish cast, it may 
indicate deficient aeration of the blood, or inability of 
the heart to pump the blood with sufficient vigor to 
the extremities. 

When the digestion is disordered, there is very fre¬ 
quently a purplish tint around the mouth and the eyes. 
The veins of the face are prominent, while those over 
the forehead stand out in delicate blue tracery. 

In sickness of the stomach, there is very frequently a 
pale circle observed around the mouth. 

I have already spoken of the earthy hue which the 
skin takes on in chronic diarrhea. A pallor of a similar 
character is observed in other conditions in which the 
blood is impoverished, as in Bright’s disease, marasmus, 
etc. 

High color, with a hectic flush, always accompanies 
fever, and may frequently be seen in older children as a 
result of chronic indigestion. 

[272] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


WHAT GESTURES TELL US 

Careful observation of the baby’s gestures may often 
help us locate the seat of pain, for the infant uncon¬ 
sciously places its hands near the affected part. In 
painful teething, or inflammatory conditions of the 
mouth, such as thrush, or sprue, the infant may con¬ 
tinually put the hand to the mouth. With earache, it 
puts the hand to the ear; and in headache it raises it to 
the head. 

Often the approach of convulsions may be foretold 
by the fact that the thumbs are drawn tightly into the 
palms of the hands, while the toes are held stiff and 
straight. 

Squirming, drawing up of the legs to the abdomen— 
if accompanied by kicking and crying—is an almost 
certain indication of colic. This is observed partic¬ 
ularly if the symptoms come on without warning. 

WHAT THE FACE TELLS US 

Notwithstanding the tendency of young mothers to 
read into the faces of their children the expression of 
intelligent emotion, healthy young babies show but little 
play of features. Their normal expression is one of 
intense interest, and any deviation from it indicates pos¬ 
sible trouble. 

In most toxic conditions, especially when accom¬ 
panied by fever, the face is somewhat swollen and 
flushed. The child has a stupid, heavy look. 

The wrinkling of the forehead frequently denotes 
pain. 

If the allae, the edges of the nostrils, move in and 
out with the respirations, it may be that the child is 
[ 273 ] 


19 



How to Raise the Baby 


developing pneumonia, but the temperature, respiration 
rate and condition of the lungs may fail to confirm this 
diagnosis. If the eyes have a tendency toward strabis¬ 
mus, or crossing, there is grave danger of approaching 
convulsions. (See also “What Gestures Tell Us. 55 ) 

If the baby chews vigorously during sleep, smacking 
its lips, some disorder of digestion may exist. If there 
is a tendency toward exhausting perspiration, it may 
indicate some form of malnutrition. 

Adenitis. Adenitis means inflammation of glands. 
In children particularly the condition is usually a 
lymphadenitis—-inflammation of one or more lymph 
nodes or lymphatic glands. It may be acute, sub-acute, 
or chronic. 

The acute form almost always follows inflammation 
of the parts which are drained by those lymph vessels 
that go through the affected gland. Tonsilitis and sore 
throat, infected wounds, acute fevers, etc., will be apt 
to produce an adenitis of the throat or neck glands. 
There are the same signs as in inflammation anywhere 
—redness, swelling, heat and pain—and pus may be 
formed, resulting in an abscess. 

The chronic form usually results from tuberculosis, 
or long continued irritation in the immediate region, or 
the region drained by the affected glands. Other condi¬ 
tions causing the chronic form are lice, eczema, bad 
teeth, enlarged and inflamed tonsils, etc. In time, if 
the condition is not properly treated, there is usually a 
breaking down of the gland, with pus discharge. 

The diet should be light and of natural foods, and 
every hygienic precaution should be taken to insure the 
[ 274 ] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


best possible health of the child. Cool or cold applica¬ 
tions and radiations from the mercury vapor sun lamp 
will also be of considerable value. 

Adenoids. These sponge-like growths interfere very 
materially with health and general development, cause 
mouth breathing, and alter the shape of the dental arch. 
Many advocate their removal by curetting, but some 
physicians have developed a much superior method. 
This consists of lateral pressure against the body of the 
growth with a sterilized finger, done with sufficient sud¬ 
denness and force to completely remove it. This method 
should not be attempted by any one not fully trained 
in the procedure. Proper breathing exercises should 
then be encouraged, as these will tend to keep the nasal 
passages open and prevent the recurrence of the 
adenoids. 

Before resorting to an operation, however, it is advis¬ 
able to try other methods. Exercise, sun and air baths, 
etc., will greatly stimulate the desire for and increase 
the supply of oxygen, and will also reduce the amount 
of toxic (poisonous) material in the system. It is essen¬ 
tial that starchy and rich foods be reduced to a mini¬ 
mum. Sugar and candy must be eliminated entirely, 
though sweet fruits may be used. The bulk of the diet 
should be milk, fruits and fresh vegetables. Keep the 
bowels and skin active. Such methods will usually 
bring about reduction of the growths. 

Anemia. Anemia is a condition in which the blood is 
poor in quality or insufficient in quantity. The anemic 
child is pale, but all pale children are not necessarily 
[ 275 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


anemic. An opaque skin may give a child an appear¬ 
ance of paleness greater than that of a truly anemic 
child who has a delicate, transparent skin. The lips, 
gums and the mucous membranes on the inner surfaces 
of the eyelids are a better guide than the cheeks. These 
surfaces should be bright pink, and the blood should 
rush back to them immediately after pressure. In 
anemia the blood comes back slowly, and the color is 
only a very pale pink. 

In childhood the condition usually results from an 
insufficient amount of fresh air, sunshine and the really 
wholesome, nourishing foods, particularly milk, and, in 
older children, fruits and fresh vegetables. It is usually 
a comparatively simple matter to increase the quan¬ 
tity and quality of blood in little children, and, from 
what has been said of the cause, the treatment should 
be easily determined. 

If anemia results from adenoids or worms, or other 
specific illness or abnormal condition readily detected or 
discoverable, the causative condition must be given first 
consideration, and the proper treatment then applied 
for restoring the blood to normal. 

Bed-wetting (Enuresis). This is sometimes an 
extremely difficult habit to break. Perhaps the best 
way is to take the child up late at night to urinate. 
Also it is necessary that fluids be restricted for several 
hours before going to bed, although plenty of water 
should be given earlier in the day, so as to relieve any 
irritation that might be caused by the presence of acid 
urine in the bladder. Milk, fruits and vegetables should 
[ 276 ] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


constitute the entire diet, as these foods overcome the 
tendency to hyperacidity of the urine. 

It frequently happens that the habit of bed-wetting is 
formed or continued because of the fact that the child 
is anemic and in a generally run-down condition. In 
such a case it will be necessary to give the child plenty 
of nourishing food, and proper exercise in the open air. 
Phimosis, or worms, each sometimes a cause of bed-wet- 
ting, must receive appropriate treatment. If the condi¬ 
tion is found to be due to gastro-intestinal irritation, 
give a short fast or greatly reduce and simplify the 
diet. 

Boils (Furuncles). Usually there will be little 
trouble in diagnosing boils on the surface of babies’ and 
children’s bodies, though occasionally large pimples 
may have somewhat the same appearance. Sometimes 
boils appear in “crops,” though usually they occur 
singly. There may be a long succession of them, asso¬ 
ciated sometimes with a slow and gradual decline in the 
health of the child; while in other children there seems 
to be comparatively little disturbance of the general 
health. 

When boils are occurring frequently, it is well to 
have the child carefully examined, especially as to the 
urine, as the condition is sometimes due to diabetes or 
nephritis, or to a focus of infection elsewhere. Appro¬ 
priate treatment must be instituted for any of these 
conditions, when present. Other causative conditions 
are uncleanliness, scratching, and a diet too rich m 
sweets, starches and proteins. 

Hot boric-acid compresses, held by a tape over the 

[277] 



How to Raise the Baby 


boil when first noticed and kept moist with water, will 
hasten ripening and consequent opening and discharg¬ 
ing. Or it may be lanced by a physician. In either 
case the opened boil should be gently but thoroughly 
cleansed with hot boric-acid solution and sterile absorb¬ 
ent cotton, and hot, wet dressings should then be applied 
at frequent intervals. The exclusive milk diet is val¬ 
uable in bringing boils to a head and hastening the 
curative processes. 

Bronchitis. Children under three years of age fre¬ 
quently have a bronchial catarrh, induced by bad 
hygiene, improper feeding, digestive disorders, rickets, 
malnutrition, teething, or poor ventilation, etc., and 
directly brought on, as a rule, by exposure, sudden tem¬ 
perature changes, “coddling,” or a neglected cold. 
Acute infectious fevers frequently have this as a symp¬ 
tom, also. Broncho-pneumonia, or tuberculosis, may 
result from the condition if not properly treated. 

There is usually a general lassitude with restlessness 
and fretfulness, slight fever (100° to 102° Fahr.), a 
cough and increased rapidity of breathing, with a rat¬ 
tling in the chest, and shortly an expectoration of a 
secretion that usually begins as a thin mucus and soon 
becomes a mixture of mucus and pus. Children too 
small to expectorate swallow this excretion, which may 
cause vomiting or diarrhea. If the condition increases, 
the fever goes higher and breathing becomes more diffi¬ 
cult, and a bluish or purplish color of the skin and 
mucus membranes may be present. Proper treatment, 
instituted early, will prevent the sudden suffocation 
which is sometimes fatal. If the inflammation extends 
[278] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


to the smaller air tubes, the outlook is less favorable in 
very small children and infants, but uncomplicated 
cases and cases in which only the larger tubes are 
affected usually recover fairly quickly. Bronchitis is 
sometimes mistaken for broncho-pneumonia, or for influ¬ 
enza ; but in these conditions the fever is higher and the 
other symptoms more pronounced. 

If the child feels like being up in the room, it should 
not be forced to remain in bed, though usually it will 
want to be quiet. There should be no restriction to the 
entrance of fresh air into the room, but the child should 
not be in drafts of air. Some recommend a cotton-lined 
woolen jacket, but any covering sufficient to keep the 
chest warm without restricting movements is satisfac¬ 
tory. 

As the disease is usually the result of a toxic condi¬ 
tion, body toxins (poisons) must be reduced, and this 
as rapidly as possible for safety. No food must be 
allowed except diluted acid fruit juices, and the child 
should be encouraged to take water freely. There will 
be no danger whatever to the child if this diet is con¬ 
tinued for two, three, or four days, or until fever and 
severe symptoms have passed. Then only milk and 
fruit juices are to be given. Considerable lime water 
should be given by mouth, and the bowels should be 
cleansed by the enema, daily or twice a day. 

Chest packs are very valuable, or mild mustard plas¬ 
ters may be applied two or three times daily, and 
allowed to remain on for five or ten minutes. Steam 
inhalations are excellent, and may be given under a tent, 
or a croup kettle may be employed. Alternate hot and 
cold applications to the chest are effective in reducing 
[ 279 ] 



How TO Raise the Baby 


internal congestion, and are particularly valuable if 
there are symptoms of suffocation. In convalescence 
there should be daily air and sun baths, the body being 
completely nude, with friction, and tepid sponge baths. 
The diet should be confined to milk and fruit juices 
until complete health is restored. 

Chilblains (Pernio). Frost bite is another name 
for this condition; it is an inflammation of the skin and 
deeper layers resulting from a long exposure to cold. 
If of too severe a degree and not satisfactorily treated 
at an early stage, gangrene is a possible but not fre¬ 
quent complication. 

The child should not be placed at first in a thor¬ 
oughly warm room, but the temperature of the room 
should be slowly and gradually raised, after reaction 
has been established. To accomplish this, the parts 
should be frictioned with snow, or with towels soaked 
in very cold water. If a coma (toxic sleep) has set in, 
friction should be applied to the entire body. After 
the congestion has been relieved, cotton wool may be 
applied to the part, a hot drink given, and the child 
left to sleep naturally, with sufficient warmth but with 
plenty of air. The most rapid restoration of the tis¬ 
sues to normal will be insured by a full milk diet, and 
this may also prevent gangrene; but if gangrene seems 
inevitable a fast must be instituted. Surgical treatment 
of this condition will rarely be necessary in children. 

Chills. A mere feeling of cold, with a temporary 
shaking, is not a chill. But if a child is exposed to cold 
or wet and within a few hours has the sensation of cold, 
[ 280 ] 





Common Ills of Childhood 


with shivering, he probably has a chill, and possibly the 
beginning of a serious acute illness, as pneumonia, 
pleurisy, nephritis, typhoid fever, etc. These symptoms 
of chill may occasionally come on with no particular 
exposure. Constipation alone sometimes produces a 
typical chill. A septic, or pus infection, may give rise 
to the symptoms. Sometimes a sweat follows the chill, 
and usually this is a good sign. 

In treating this condition one should bear in mind 
that one may be treating the first stage of an acute 
illness—in fact that this is quite likely to be the case 
—and that if this is treated properly, there will proba¬ 
bly be no further development of the more serious con¬ 
dition. Artificial warmth, in the form of hot water 
internally and hot-water bottles and bags with plenty 
of blankets, externally, should be employed at once. If 
relief is not secured within a short time, it is best to 
give a rather warm enema, while keeping the little 
patient warm with hot drinks and hot blankets. These 
two or three measures will usually be sufficient for a 
small child, though a hot tub bath may be given to 
better advantage in some cases. 

Colds. “Colds” result both from under-nourish¬ 
ment and from over-nourishment. By far the largest 
number of cases come from too much food and too little 
fresh air and exercise. The greatest single cause, per¬ 
haps, is an excess of starches, sugars and candies. 
Oatmeal, or bread and butter, covered with sugar, lolly- 
pops and other sweets, cause an overloading of the blood 
with these elements, satiating the appetite so that the 
child will not eat a sufficient amount of the foods which 
[ 281 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


would supply the needed minerals even if he has the 
opportunity. Exposure to cold or to a draft is mere y 
the “flash in the pan” that sets off the dry powder 
already present. 

A “cold” untreated, or maltreated, is very apt to 
extend from a mere eliminative condition to one of 
severe functional and even organic derangement, and 
from the mucous membranes of the nose and throat it 
may extend to the bronchi, lungs, pleura, kidneys, etc. 
The proper treatment of this all too common com¬ 
plaint is not drug laxatives, with gargles, sprays, 
swabs, etc., though the latter in mild form may be used 
In the case of under-nourishment, the treatment should 
be a brief diet of fruit (for one or two days) followed 
by the full milk diet for a week or more; and, in the case 
of the over-nourished, a fruit and water fast for from 
two to five days, followed by fruit, milk and vegetables 
as a main diet for some time. Hot tub baths, or, bet¬ 
ter, wet-sheet or blanket packs to bring about perspira¬ 
tion, and these repeated daily, are especially eliminative 
and corrective. Two or three glasses of either hot or 
cold water should be taken while in either bath or pack, 
and if the pack is used the windows should be open. 
After the tub bath the child should be well covered in 
a thoroughly ventilated room. An enema should be 
given at the very onset, and should be repeated daily 
for at least the first three or four days. Friction baths 
may be given at any time. Equal parts of lemon or 
orange juice and honey diluted with water like a lem¬ 
onade makes a very soothing “cough medicine,” in case 
a cough develops during the cold. The child may drin 
it freely as desired. Lemonized or salt water may be 
[ 282 ] 





Common Ills of Childhood 


used for a gargle or spray to the throat. A little vase¬ 
line may be placed in each nostril, and the throat pack 
may be applied each night, the throat to be bathed in 
cold water the next morning when the pack is removed. 
An exclusive meat diet is sometimes useful in this condi¬ 
tion. Mince top round of beef, allowing a quart of 
water to a pound, boil two to four minutes, and add 
salt and lemon juice. Drink the liquid and eat the meat 
as the appetite demands. 

Colic. Colic is almost invariably due to some diges¬ 
tive disturbance. For temporary relief it may be wise 
to give the child an enema, which will bring away the 
offending toxic material in the bowel, and afford an 
opportunity for the discharge of flatus . Sometimes all 
that is necessary to enable the baby to bring up the gas 
that causes its distress is to put it on or against the 
shoulder. It may be gently patted in the back at this 
time. If the gas is in the intestines instead of the 
stomach, it may be helped to escape by placing the baby 
on its abdomen and drawing the knees up underneath, 
so as to slightly elevate the hips; at the same time 
gentle pressure will be given by the thighs. This posi¬ 
tion also allows the intestines to somewhat straighten 
out, which helps gas to travel toward and out of the 
anus. A few spoonfuls of hot water is also an excel¬ 
lent treatment for this condition. 

If the condition should become convulsive in its 
nature, it may become necessary to cleanse the stomach 
and to immerse the child in warm water, as directed 
under the next heading. 

The child should be encouraged to drink plenty of 

[283] 



How to Raise the Baby 


water, preferably slightly warm, or at least not too 
cold, in order that the kidneys may be stimulated to 
throw off accumulated poisons in the system. 

Convulsions. There is nothing that strikes quite so 
much terror to the soul of a young mother as to see her 
baby go into convulsions. The condition is generally due 
to overfeeding, although a very small percentage of cases 
may, perhaps, be due to improper feeding, underfeeding, 
constipation, impure air or water, or lack of exercise. 



In an emergency one may use various kinds of bottles as hot- 
water containers for maintaining the heat of the body. When 
using glass bottles, wrap them in towels or other cloth 
covering. 

Whatever the cause, the first thing to be done is to 
put the child in a hot tub. Then try to induce vomit¬ 
ing. Hold the child face downward. Put your finger 
down its throat, and thus force the stomach to empty 
itself. Next, raise the windows as high as you can; 
pure, fresh air contains the oxygen necessary to life. A 
child may die for want of oxygen and the energy secured 
from it. Keep the child warm. Use hot-water bottles, 
clothing, or whatever may be necessary. 

The hot abdominal pack should next be used. Hold 
an ordinary bath-towel by its two ends. Immerse as 
[ 284 ] 









Common Ills of Childhood 


much of the towel as possible in boiling water. Wring 
it as dry as you can, and then, after folding it into the 
proper size and shape, wrap it, hot and moist, all the 
way around the child’s little body from hips to arm-pits, 
next the skin. 

Be careful not to burn the child, but apply the towel 
as hot as can be borne. In case of fever, a cold towel 
way around the child’s little body from hips to armpits, 
will usually induce such profuse perspiration that the 
body temperature will be quickly reduced. 



In the application of a spinal pack, the towel should be im¬ 
mersed in hot water and then wrung almost dry as in the 
case of an abdominal pack. This has an extraordinarily quieting 
effect on the entire nervous system. 

A hot-water bottle to the back will increase or pro¬ 
long the efficiency of either a hot abdominal or spinal 
pack. If a small amount of hot water is put into a hot- 
water bag, the child can lie on it advantageously. 

Preceding the hot pack a high enema should be given, 
using the smallest size of rectal tube, which should be 
freely oiled or greased. This will be found valuable in 
helping to cleanse the lower bowel. 

Then let the child rest. Too much treatment, or in¬ 
cessant coddling or handling, by interfering with rest, 
may cause death. 


[285] 






How to Raise the Baby 


When the doctor comes your efforts in meeting the 
emergencies will usually be commended, and if he under¬ 
stands that you prefer to avoid medicines in treating 
your child, your wishes will usually be respected. 

You cannot afford to risk the effects of medicine on 
the delicately adjusted nervous organism of a child. 

If the means suggested have not entirely relieved the 
symptoms, use daily the hot abdominal pack for two or 
three hours in the morning and a hot spinal pack in the 
evening. You can depend upon the hot spinal pack for 
putting the child to sleep. 

How to apply the Spinal Vack. In the application 
of a spinal pack, the towel should be immersed in hot 
water and then wrung almost dry, as in the case of an 
abdominal pack. Then fold the towel over until it is 
about the length of the spine and about five to six inches 
wide. Apply it the full length of the spine as hot as it 
can be borne without burning. This has an extraordi¬ 
narily quieting effect upon the entire nervous system. 

Remember that the effects of the hot packs can be in¬ 
creased and prolonged when desired by applying a hot- 
water bottle to the spine. 

In an emergency, one may use various kinds of bottles 
as hot-water containers for maintaining the heat of the 
body. When using glass bottles wrap them in towels, 
or other cloth covering. 

When a child is suffering from convulsions, or in other 
conditions in which the pulse is weak, face pale, hands 
and feet cold, lips and nails blue, a hot bath will help 
bring back the blood to the surface of the body, thereby 
relieving the pressure on the heart and other internal 
organs. Some like half a teacupful of powdered mus- 
[ 286 ] 





Common Ills of Childhood 


tard added to the bath water, claiming that it often 
serves to stimulate a quicker reaction. 

The temperature of this bath should not be over 105 
degrees—taken with a bath thermometer, or else gauged 
by immersing the elbow, as explained in Chapter IV. 

The bath should be warm but not hot enough to cre¬ 
ate discomfort, for this may result in most serious 
immediate or after effects. 

Don't be afraid to empty the stomach immediately. 
I cannot too strongly impress upon young mothers the 
fact that prompt action in emptying the stomach of a 
child in this condition has saved countless lives and 
that failure so to do has been responsible for quite as 
many deaths. 



A hot-water bottle may be applied against the back as shown, 
or against the abdomen, to increase or prolong the efficiency 
of a hot spinal or abdominal pack. If a small amount of hot 
water is put into the bag, the child can lie on it advantage¬ 
ously, either on the back or abdomen. 

Dr. R. Lincoln Graham in discussing this matter 
says: “Children vomit readily; therefore, a cup of salt 
and water swallowed in a feeding bottle and vomited out 
is a very efficient cleanser of decomposing stomach con¬ 
tents. While again, half a cup of warm salt solution 
[287] 










How to Raise the Baby 


will usually carry off any irritating content of the bowel, 
if properly administered. 

“On the other hand, soothing or quieting medicines at 
the best only mask the condition and permit its conse¬ 
quences to become even more grave by interfering with 
Nature’s efforts to eliminate the disease. I recall a re¬ 



in case of sudden illness, first cleanse the 
stomach. This illustration shows the 
quickest, and most practical and effective 
method of accomplishing this object. Lay 
the child over your knee, or place one hand 
under the stomach to assist in the process 
of vomiting. Insert one finger in the throat 
until vomiting is produced, continuing until 
the stomach entirely rids itself of its 
contents. 


cent case of 
early vomit¬ 
ing in an in¬ 
fection o f 
measles. In 
this case 
soothing 
syrup was 
adminis¬ 
tered and the 
child passed 
into coma. 
F o r t u - 
nately, I was 
able to keep 
the kidneys 
and skin ac¬ 
tive, and the 
third day 
was rewarded 
with a gener¬ 
al eruption of 
the disease. 

“It is of 
but little sig¬ 
nificance for 








Common Ills of Childhood 


a child to vomit. During early life the stomach is in 
a vertical position, and readily throws food upward. 
Where the vomit is sour and curdling, force water into 
the stomach by drinking. Then by vomiting this water 
the stomach will be cleaned.” 

This is excellent advice, and is exactly what I have 
advocated for upwards of twenty years. 

Croup. Croup is a catarrhal inflammation of the 
larynx, marked by difficult and noisy breathing and a 
loud, hoarse, crowing, metallic cough. The paroxysms 
usually come on at night, the child awaking with a feel¬ 
ing of suffocation. Exposure to cold and wet is likely 
to bring on the trouble, especially when there is indi¬ 
gestion, or when the child’s health is below par. The 
outcome is generally good. 

When the attack comes on the child should be placed 
in the fresh air at once. Disregard drafts, but keep 
the child covered and protected, of course. The feet 
and hands should be placed in hot water. Sometimes 
the face and chest may be splashed with cold water; a 
cold compress applied to the throat is beneficial, espe¬ 
cially if fever is present. If there is no fever, it might 
be better to apply hot packs to the throat and chest. A 
level teaspoonful of salt in a glass of water makes a 
good emetic, which is sometimes advisable. Have the 
child drink as much as possible of the glassful. Complete 
immersion in a full hot bath will bring quick relief in 
unusually severe spasms. A tent may be constructed 
over the bed or crib and steam generated under it, for 
the child to breathe. I have known several cases in 
which a teaspoonful of ordinary kerosene given by 
[ 289 ] 


20 



How to Raise the Baby 


mouth has started a child toward ease and comfort 
within a few minutes. The bowels should be irrigated. 
Give no nourishment whatever during the paroxysm, but 
give either hot or cold water in large quantities as soon 
as the patient will drink. 

During the intervals between the attacks the general 
health must be looked after. The diet should be made 
up mostly of milk and other natural foods, and as soon 
as possible outdoor exercise, with air and sun baths, 
should be taken. 

Dandruff. This condition gives some mothers con¬ 
siderable trouble and worry. The dandruff may take 
the form of bran-like flakes that constantly cover the 
child’s garments, or there may be a lot of greasy scales 
filling the hair and covering the scalp. When large 
patches occur on the scalp the condition is called “milk 
crust.” There must be careful cleansing of the scalp 
and hair, and a solution of boric acid may be used ef¬ 
fectively. If warm olive oil is rubbed into the hair and 
scalp, it will soften the scales, and warm water and pure 
castile or tar soap may then be used for cleansing. A 
very soft hair-brush may be used gently, but no coarse 
brush and no fine-tooth comb. For the dry scaly 
dandruff use oil frequently, and bathe with very soft 
warm water and tar soap. 

Diarrhea and Its Meaning. One of the most fre¬ 
quent of all troubles of infants and young children, and 
one of the most difficult to manage at times by the 
present inadequate methods employed by mothers, is 
diarrhea. The most frequent cause for this trouble is 
[ 290 ] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


indigestion, and the improper selection of food. Many 
cases also result from taking cold, or from exposure to 
torrid temperatures. This condition is, therefore, ex¬ 
tremely common in bottle-fed babies—always more sus¬ 
ceptible to this trouble than those who are breast-fed, 
in the summer-time, or when there are rapid changes of 
temperature to deplete the vitality. 

Diarrhea may rightly occasion a very considerable 
degree of anxiety on the part of the young mother, be¬ 
cause of the fact that when acute it drains the fluids 
from the body at an unbelievably rapid rate, causing 
the tissues to appear shrunken and livid, and in cer¬ 
tain instances, involving an alarming loss of weight. 

Not infrequently, if the condition persists for any 
length of time, the blood may become impoverished. The 
skin may take on an earthy hue, with a sallow, livid 
complexion. 

In all cases of diarrhea, careful local washing should 
follow evacuation of the bowels, so as to prevent irrita¬ 
tion of the parts from the excoriating discharges. 

The number of passages may vary anywhere from 
four or five up to thirty or forty within twenty-four 
hours. The character of the stool differs from the 
normal by being greenish, whitish, yellow-green, or clay- 
colored. It may be semi-liquid, or very watery; it may 
be exceedingly offensive, or quite odorless; it may be 
small in size, or so copious as to cause wonder that the 
child’s body could have held such an amount. Blood and 
mucus may also be present. 

In dysentery, which is another name for inflammatory 
diarrhea, the passages are exceptionally frequent and 
composed largely of mucus; or they may also contain a 
[ 291 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


considerable amount of blood. In these conditions, when 
improperly treated, the tendency is for the infant to 
lose weight with an astonishing degree of rapidity, so 
that after twenty-four or forty-eight hours he may ap¬ 
pear wrinkled, shriveled and old, with cold, clammy 
skin, and every aspect of extreme emaciation and weak¬ 
ness. This is because of the heavy loss of body fluids; 
but with the correction of the diarrhea these fluids can 
be restored easily and quickly. 

The common-sense treatment of diarrhea. Inasmuch 
as diarrhea is an effort on the part of Nature to rid 
the system of irritating poisons, it is obvious that our 
first duty should be to stop all food, and give Nature a 
chance to evacuate the poisons from the bowel. 

Nothing but plain water should be given, therefore, 
until the bowel has had a chance to empty itself of its 
poisonous contents. Never give paregoric, laudanum, 
or opium to any child suffering from diarrhea or any 
other disturbance or disease. They kill pain and mask 
true conditions. 

The chalk and bismuth mixtures which are so fre¬ 
quently recommended in these conditions, are merely 
palliative in their nature, and do not really attack the 
cause of the condition at all. It is better to avoid these. 

If the baby is bottle-fed (and most loose-boweled 
babies are so fed), the sugar should be omitted and the 
fat in its milk modification reduced, as explained in the 
chapters on feeding. 

Diphtheria. Diphtheria is one of the most dreaded 
of “children’s diseases.” It is an acute infectious dis¬ 
ease of the mucous membrane, usually affecting this tis¬ 
sue of the pharynx, and many times of the larynx. A 
[ 292 ] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


fals membrane forms over the tissue affected, and the 
so-called specific germ of diphtheria is found in this, fre¬ 
quently in large numbers. But many people have these 
germs without developing the disease symptoms, and 
whenever they are found the obnoxious diphtheritic anti¬ 
toxin is given. 

The general symptoms may be mild or severe. Chilli¬ 
ness, vomiting, or convulsions, may usher in the disease, 
and there are usually sore throat, a temperature of 101 
to 103 degrees, and a feeling of loss of energy. In about 
five days the disease is at its worst. From the second 
to the fourth day the false membrane appears on the 
tonsils and spreads to adjacent surfaces. This adheres 
very closely, and leaves a bleeding surface if forcibly 
removed. Appetite is lost, the pulse is quick and weak, 
and the glands at the angle of the jaw are swollen; 
albumen appears in the urine, and there is extreme pros¬ 
tration. After seven or eight days the symptoms begin 
to gradually subside, but convalescence is apt to be 
slow, the heart action remaining feeble for a number of 
weeks. 

The outcome is uncertain, for many severe cases re¬ 
cover while slight cases may terminate fatally, or re¬ 
sult in paralysis of some of the muscles. How much of 
this damage can be laid to the use of the antitoxin can 
not be estimated, but it is my firm conviction that its use 
is not beneficial. 

The treatment for diphtheria should be centered at 
first on elimination, even before it is possible to make a 
positive diagnosis . This is the surest way of avoiding 
the actual disease. The bowels should receive a thorough 
flushing, but the amount of water used must depend 
[293] 



How to Raise the Baby 


upon the age of the child. Some oil, such as olive oil, 
should be given by mouth. It is necessary to isolate the 
child at once as much for its own good as for the pos¬ 
sible protection of others. There must be few furnish¬ 
ings in the sick room, for cleanliness is imperative. The 
patient should be in bed if his inclination favors lying 
still, and should be given absolutely no nourishment, ex¬ 
cept, possibly, a very dilute fruit juice, as lemon, orange, 
or grapefruit juice. But he should have large amounts 
of water, preferably hot, though quite cold water may be 
sipped, or held in the throat, when the swelling and in¬ 
flammation are severe. Water should be kept steaming 
in the room. The nose and throat should be sprayed 
with peroxide of hydrogen twice daily, and a gargle of 
lemon or salt water may be used to advantage. 

For skin activity, a hot wet-sheet pack or a hot- 
blanket pack given daily will be very effective. If throat 
symptoms are serious at any time, hot packs should be 
applied around this part, and small pieces of ice 
kept in the mouth or swallowed, or ice water slowly 
sipped. In cases of this and all other serious ill¬ 
nesses of childhood, a physician should be called, as a 
little life may be at stake. But if possible secure the 
services of a physician who leans toward natural treat¬ 
ment. Unfortunately there are far too few such physi¬ 
cians, but their number is growing. 

Ear Diseases. Impaction of Wax in the ear may 
result from an increase in its production, or from a re¬ 
tarding of its escape. It usually produces no pain, but 
does produce dizziness and head noises, deafness, and 
usually a cough. Syringe the ear with warm water, or 
[ 294 ] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


remove the packed wax very carefully with a small ap¬ 
plicator or tweezers, if it is hard and near the outlet. 
If these methods seem ineffective, a little warm oil may 
soften the wax, after which the syringe will remove it. 
After its removal, put a small amount of absorbent cot¬ 
ton gently into the ear. 

Inflammation of the External Orifice is usually asso¬ 
ciated with fever, great pain, some deafness, ear noises, 
and perhaps delirium and nausea. These cases fre¬ 
quently require the doctor’s attention. Painting the 
parts with carbolized glycerine, or bathing with a boric- 
acid solution helps. It is doubtful if hot compresses 
are safe, and it is perhaps better that they be omitted 
from the treatment. General health must receive 
attention. 

Inflammation of the Middle Ear . Acute purulent in¬ 
flammation is a condition in which pus develops, and may 
result from an improperly treated or untreated, simple 
catarrhal inflammation, especially if it is due to or asso¬ 
ciated with a fever. The pain is usually quite severe; 
head noises are loud and disturbing; hearing is reduced; 
and fever usually develops, if not present from other 
causes. Dry heat is to be applied externally. Warm 
water may be dropped into the external ear. Boric-acid 
solution may be sprayed into the nostrils. If pain lasts 
for longer than six or eight hours, it may be necessary 
to have a physician lance the ear drum, to allow escape 
of the pus. This is rarely desirable, however. A full 
milk diet will usually bring a safe recovery without the 
use of the knife. 

Both the catarrhal and purulent forms may become 
chronic. These conditions must be taken care of by a 
[295] 




How to Raise the Baby 

physician, as must any inflammatory process extending 
from the ear. 

Erysipelas, (St. Anthony’s Fire). This is an acute 
inflammation of the skin and deeper tissues, the symp¬ 
toms being, usually, a sharply outlined, shining redness 
over the bridge of the nose, which spreads in a butterfly 
shape over the cheeks. There is swelling, with consider¬ 
able pain; little blisters appear, and fever, headaches, 
and general weakness develop. The neck as far down 
as the collar line, the ears, scalp, and, in a few cases, 
the forehead may all be involved. The disease develops 
when the health and vital forces are lowered, and starts 
from wounds, skin abrasions, or nasal infection. Us¬ 
ually the condition is safely controlled and remedied by 
the right methods. 

Treatment should begin with a high enema, and two 
or three glasses of hot salt water containing some lemon 
juice; or olive or mineral oil may be given. No food 
should be allowed for three or four days except strained 
fruit juices, or hot weak barley water, or thin strained 
oatmeal gruel. Cold boric-acid compresses may be kept 
continuously over the affected areas. Sometimes Epsom 
salts may be substituted for the boric acid with excel¬ 
lent results. A dressing of starch powder may also be 
used in light cases, or toward the end of the inflamma¬ 
tion. A milk diet as soon as the appetite returns is 
advisable. 

German Measles (Rubella). This is probably the 
mildest of acute infectious diseases. There is a slight 
inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes, nose, 
[ 296 ] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


mouth and pharynx, with enlargement of the lymphatic 
glands of the neck, a slight fever (about 100 degrees), 
and a reddish rash somewhat resembling that of measles 
but less elevated—some of the eruptions being merely 
spots. The chest and face first show the rash, which 
then spreads over the body, usually in twenty-four 
hours. Rarely are there complications. 

It is not necessary to confine the patient to bed, but 
as the disease is considered highly contagious he should 
be kept isolated in a room for two or three weeks. Olive 
oil is sufficient as a laxative, and the enema should be 
used for the first two or three days, at least. Give only 
acid fruit juices during the fever. Spray or gargle the 
throat with boric-acid solution. The milk diet should 
be used for at least a week after temperature is 
normal. 

Growing Pains. There is probably no such thing as 
a growing pain, for growth is so natural that there 
should be no disturbance whatever during the growing 
period. But there are pains of a neuralgic or rheumatic 
nature that are considered such, because no better name 
has been found for them. These pains are sometimes, 
called “infantile rheumatism,” and may be associated 
with tonsilitis, heart symptoms and fever. They occur 
sometimes as early as seven years, but usually end be¬ 
fore sixteen. Their location is near the ends of the long 
bones. Rapid growth is usually taking place at the 
time (which accounts for the name), and there is not in¬ 
frequently a fever. The pains are probably due to 
metabolic disturbances, as the appetite is immoderate 
and unregulated at this period. This would account for 
[ 297 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


the general constitutional disturbance associated with 
the pains. Hygienic conditions must be looked after 
carefully, and the diet should consist largely of fruits, 
vegetables and milk, with practically no meats, a mini¬ 
mum of starches and no pastries or sweets. There must 
be fresh air and sunlight, and natural play for exer¬ 
cise. No special treatment is necessary. 

Gum-Boil (Parulis). Occasionally at the foot of a 
diseased tooth an abscess will form, causing the face to 
swell. Usually the abscess will rupture of its own ac¬ 
cord, but a dentist or physician will sometimes advise 
lancing to afford quick relief. Some physicians advise 
a little tincture of iodine swabbed over the swollen gum, 
and warm or hot water may be held in the mouth, or a 
hot-water bag may be applied to the cheek. 

Headache. Frequently very young children make 
known the existence of headache by holding their little 
hands to their heads. Older ones may say their head 
hurts. Some have learned what a headache is. This is 
not a very common symptom except as an initial symp¬ 
tom at the onset of some acute disease. Other condi¬ 
tions causing headache are constipation, digestive dis¬ 
orders, defective hygiene, sinus trouble, protracted 
colds, nervous troubles, anemia and insufficient oxygen. 
It must be remembered that the headache is only a 
symptom. The treatment must be directed to the cause, 
and when this is removed the headache usually vanishes 
at once. Improvement of the hygiene, elimination by 
enemas, reduction or satisfactory alterations of the diet, 
general body packs, with hot foot and hand baths and 
[ 298 ] 





Common Ills of Childhood 


the application of cold to the head, will usually prove 
effective in giving relief. 

Heart Weakness. It is very important to make as 
early a diagnosis as possible of a heart weakness or 
disease, as it may be possible to practically or com¬ 
pletely cure the condition. A child with marked dis¬ 
turbance of this organ is usually anemic and pale and 
adverse to activity. Without exactly being ill, he will 
be indisposed to exert himself. 

Cold extremities are noticed, and the lips are ashy 
grey. The breath is short and the heart palpitates, pul¬ 
sations showing externally on the chest or abdomen. 
There may also be pain over the heart, digestive dis¬ 
turbances and swollen feet. Conditions may not be such 
as to lead a mother immediately to a positive diagnosis, 
and the symptoms may fluctuate as improvement in gen¬ 
eral health is noticed, or when the child is below par. 

Treatment should be directed toward removal of 
toxic elements and the reduction of all strains on the 
heart. Superficial circulation should be improved by 
tepid baths, and by air, sun and friction baths. The 
fruit and milk diet is best to insure freedom from diges¬ 
tive disturbances. Exercises that are not strenuous or 
straining are helpful rather than harmful, after acute 
symptoms are relieved. 

Hernia (Rupture). In infants usually the only 
kind of hernia that has to be considered is the umbilical 
hernia—appearing at the navel. It develops usually a 
few weeks after birth, and may be due to natural weak¬ 
ness of the abdominal wall, a strain in being lifted, exer- 
[ 299 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


cise too vigorous for an infant, cutting the umbilical 
cord too soon or too short, digestive troubles which 
distend the abdomen, or to an infection of the navel. 
Severe and protracted crying spells may bring on 
hernia, if the tendency is there. The only sign is an 
enlargement at this point from the size of a marble 
to that of a small egg. 

Many of these hernias are corrected naturally, but 
it is best to give aid to insure complete reduction and 
correction. For this purpose a large button slightly 
beveled on one side, or a round metal disc or plate that 
can be padded on one side, should be placed bevel-end 
down, over the prominent part of the hernia, and held 
to the body by adhesive strips going half-way round 
the sides. It is better, however, to attach a loop to each 
side of the button, and run wide-webbed elastic through 
these; then attach these elastics to adhesive tape, which 
may be extended almost to the middle of the back on 
each side. Sometimes the elastic may be passed com¬ 
pletely around the little body and just a small strip of 
adhesive extended across this at each side, so as to keep 
it in place. The elastic permits full breathing without 
interference. Or a wide adhesive tape may be placed on 
one side of the hernia, the hernia reduced, and the skin 
from the opposite side drawn completely over the pro¬ 
tuberance, the tape being then secured to that side. 
Cleanliness must be observed, and the garments must not 
constrict, and thus aggravate the condition. A very 
large hernia may require a special truss, but this is 
usually not necessary. As soon as the child is old 
enough, it should be taught to take special exercises for 
[ 300 ] 





Common Ills of Childhood 


strengthening the abdominal wall, so as to prevent trou¬ 
ble in future years. 

In older children inguinal, femoral, and all other forms 
of hernia except umbilical, may develop from the same 
causes. These hernias are sometimes dangerous, for 
the intestines may protrude and become strangulated. 
This latter condition calls for prompt action on the 
part of a physician or surgeon, though the knee-chest 
position (resting face downward on the knees and 
chest), or a fairly large enema, may bring about a re¬ 
duction. A hernia should not be neglected, unless it is 
plainly a very slight and insignificant condition. A truss 
may be required, but in children special exercises for the 
abdomen, if persisted in, will usually correct the condi¬ 
tion, providing the diet is such as to keep the bowels 
active and prevent gaseous distention of the abdomen. 

Hiccoughs (Hiccups). This condition every 
mother has noticed, in children, as well as in adults. It 
is a nervous spasm of the diaphragm, due usually to 
digestive disorders. Most attacks pass off without 
treatment. But if an attack should continue for some 
time, have the child hold its breath as long as it can. 
There need be no fear that it will hold it too long, for 
that is impossible. Or have it drink ten to twenty swal¬ 
lows of hot water—or sometimes quite cold water will 
work better. If it is too young to do this, catch its 
tongue with a napkin and pull it gently far forward. 
Quite warm applications over the abdomen, or on the 
back of the neck, frequently stop the attack. A little 
cracked ice or ice-cream, has been used successfully in 
some cases. Pressure over the upper abdomen with the 
[ 301 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


fingers or flat of the hand will almost always stop the 
attack, and a very broad, tight belt around the waist, 
which is drawn tighter and tighter until the paroxysms 
cease, usually brings quick relief. 

Hip-Joint Disease. This is a tubercular disease of 
the hip-joint, rarely diagnosed before it has reached the 
chronic stage, or at least until considerable inflamma¬ 
tion has brought about a decided change within the 
joint. The condition often recovers of itself, but the 
age, complications and treatment greatly influence the 
outlook. Heredity and joint injury are two important 
factors influencing the onset of the disease. Spasms 
and atrophy of the muscles, deformity and limping, 
pain (usually referred to the knee), and swelling of the 
hip and glands about the hip and groin, are the main 
symptoms. 

The first deformity is a drawing up of the thigh to¬ 
ward the abdomen and of the calf of the leg toward the 
thigh. At this time the knee is held outward, the leg 
appearing longer than the well one. Night cries, ab¬ 
scesses and a general decline are usually among the 
symptoms at this stage. Later the knee is held inward 
across the well extremity, the great toe resting on 
the instep of the well foot. The leg is then actually 
shorter than the well one. 

The hygiene must be improved in every way possible. 

The child should be kept on a fairly hard bed. Sun 
baths to the nude body should be given daily through 
an open window, or out on a mattress in the open, and 
the patient should never be deprived of fresh air. A 
bed on the porch, or in a sun-parlor, is best for this 
[ 302 ] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


treatment. Cool general body baths are to be recom¬ 
mended. Hot-water bottles or hot packs are of value. 

Change to a cooler and drier climate is sometimes val¬ 
uable, but should not be necessary if the remainder of 
the treatment is proper. An abundance of milk is the 
best possible diet for this condition, but orange or 
grapefruit juice is also valuable and should be given 
daily. Usually some sort of splint, or a cast, is applied 
to hold the joint immovable, but I believe that if the 
diet and other care of the little patient is as it should 
be these casings will not be necessary. But sand bags 
may be placed at the side and between the thighs to keep 
the motion of the affected hip limited to some extent. 
As in all serious disease conditions, however, it is best 
to have a thoroughly trained physician on the case. 

Hives (Urticaria—Nettle Rash). This is a diges¬ 
tive disorder showing almost entirely in a temporary 
inflammation of the skin, with whitish and pinkish eleva¬ 
tions and extremely severe itching and burning. It re¬ 
sults from eating certain articles of food, as shell-fish, 
strawberries, salt pork, etc., by those individuals having 
a constitutional incapacity to deal with such foods 
(known as an idiosyncrasy), or occasionally from di¬ 
gestive disturbances of undetermined origin. The erup¬ 
tions usually appear and vanish quickly, though occa¬ 
sionally they will remain for a rather extended period 
of time, and may leave small blisters or darkened spots. 

The treatment consists of a thorough flushing of the 
bowels by high enemas and an emetic of warm salt water. 
A saline laxative will usually cause the symptoms to 
subside almost as soon as it is effective, but no food 
[ 303 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


should be allowed within twenty-four hours after the 
laxative. An abundance of hot water and a small 
amount of diluted fruit juices will often clear the trouble 
in a few hours, even without the laxative. Slightly cool 
tub baths will soothe the itching and burning, but a hot 
tub bath, wet-sheet pack, or blanket pack to bring about 
a profuse perspiration will hasten relief. It is always nec¬ 
essary to avoid the particular food or foods which ex¬ 
perience points to as the cause of the disturbance, and 
to guard against constipation and intestinal toxemia. 

Intestinal Obstruction. In children, obstruction 
of the passage of fecal matter through the intestines 
usually comes on suddenly, in the condition known as 
intussusception. In this instance one part of the small 
intestines folds back within itself, so that it is appar¬ 
ently “swallowed” by the other part. Pain develops 
suddenly and continues; there is a constant, urgent de¬ 
sire to go to stool, and a frequent diarrhea with bloody 
mucus. At an early stage there is vomiting of intes¬ 
tinal contents. Though the seat of the trouble is in the 
small intestines, the bowel not infrequently protrudes 
from the rectum. The pulse is usually very weak, and 
the temperature subnormal. 

When such a condition develops, all food must be de¬ 
nied, and it is best to irrigate the stomach and intes¬ 
tines. Sometimes a large enema may dilate the intes¬ 
tines sufficiently to allow the smaller part to slip out of 
its retaining section. Air or hydrogen may also be 
used (by a physician) to inflate the intestines, with the 
same idea in view. Placing the child in the knee-chest 
position, or holding its hips, or even the entire lower 
[ 304 ] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


part of the trunk, above the shoulders, may prove suc¬ 
cessful. Or an operation may be necessary. 

Jaundice. This condition shows as a greenish tint 
to the skin, the eye, or the mucous membranes of the 
mouth. If it develops during the first week of a child’s 
life, as it is very apt to do, it means nothing that need 
cause anxiety, and at this time the urine leaves no stain. 
If it arises later, it is more serious, and the napkins 
will be stained with a highly colored urine. An enema 
should be given and food should be withheld for a day 
or two. No other treatment is necessary. 

Leucorrhea. A discharge sometimes appears from 
the vagina of little baby girls, but the mother need not 
be anxious over this. Usually it will disappear when 
the nourishment and general strength of the child im¬ 
prove, though it is sometimes due to accident, or to con¬ 
stipation, or to pin or thread worms. Occasionally it 
is due to an infection and is then more serious. Clean¬ 
liness will reduce it, and should be thorough. Small in¬ 
jections of boric-acid solution may be given, and an 
ointment of boric acid may be applied to the external 
parts. 

Marasmus (Infantile Atrophy). This is a simple 
wasting occurring in children, without necessarily a 
constitutional basis, such as syphilis or tuberculosis, 
though one or the other of these conditions frequently 
underlies the developing of the atrophy. It is quite 
likely to be a form of intestinal toxemia, resulting from 
improper feeding, plus bad hygiene. Extreme emacia- 
[ 305 ] 


21 




How to Raise the Baby 


tion results, as in starvation, and the child is wrinkled, 
and appears old and worn. Unless proper treatment is 
instituted, the natural tendency of the condition is to¬ 
ward a fatal end. But if the proper treatment is begun 
at once the chances for recovery are good. 

This is a case in which breast milk should be used if 
at all possible, and a wet nurse may be necessary. In 
some cases cow’s milk may be successfully modified to 
meet the demands, but foods prepared without cow’s 
milk are never satisfactory. The child should be placed 
in the sun and fresh air daily, and must have plenty of 
fresh air at all times. A daily bath of slightly warm 
water and a massage with oil are all-important factors 
of the treatment. The clothing must be warm, but not 
such as to suffocate the skin. 

Measles. Measles is considered one of the most con¬ 
tagious of all diseases, but children under six months 
are not liable to “catch” it. One attack usually pre¬ 
vents future ones. The first symptoms are a discharge 
from the nose, as in a “cold in the head,” tears from the 
eyes, a dread of light (photophobia), cough, fever, and 
general lassitude, with sometimes convulsions. Most of 
the mucous surfaces of the body are likely to be in¬ 
volved. Even before the symptoms of catarrh develop, 
and during the early fever and weariness, little spots 
called Koplik’s spots appear on the mucous surfaces of 
the cheeks and lips. These are tiny red spots with bluish 
white centers. 

If these spots are discovered, it is best to isolate the 
child immediately in a more or less remote room, but one 
where fresh air and sunlight can enter freely. It will be 
[ 306 ] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


necessary, however, to keep the child’s eyes covered, or 
shielded with smoked or blue glasses; otherwise injury 
may result. The temperature may fluctuate during the 
first three days, but rises before the appearance of the 
skin symptoms; these appear first on the neck and fore¬ 
head, then extend to the trunk and extremities. The 
skin eruption takes the form of spots that are bright 
red at first, about the size of a pea, or smaller. Later 
the color darkens and the spots run together. Consti¬ 
pation develops and the urine, frequently passed, is dark 
and heavy. The nasal discharge increases, expectora¬ 
tion becomes copious, the fever subsides, and the skin 
finally peels off in branny scales. 

Proper treatment will prevent any serious complica¬ 
tions or after-effects. Food must be withheld, but an 
abundance of hot or cold water must be given, prefer¬ 
ably with fruit juices. A wet-sheet pack should be 
applied once a day, enough to insure a good perspira¬ 
tion. Continue the pack an hour or more, and follow 
with a quick cool sponge bath. A daily enema hastens 
improvement, and two or three tablespoonfuls of olive or 
mineral oil given morning and evening will improve bowel 
activity. This treatment will greatly lessen the severity 
and shorten the duration of the disease. During con¬ 
valescence a milk diet, with fruit juices, is best for re¬ 
storing strength to normal and preventing serious after¬ 
effects. 

Mumps (Parotitis). This is a swelling of the 
parotid and, rarely, of the other salivary glands, and is 
considered highly infectious. After two or three weeks 
following exposure the patient exhibits weariness, fever 
[ 307 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 


and usually headache, and sometimes there is vomiting. 
The swelling then appears at the angle of the jaw and 
in front of the ear, on one or both sides, and interferes 
with speaking, chewing and swallowing. There is usually 
no severe pain in the gland, with the frequent exception 
that pain is felt when some acid is taken into the 
mouth. Boys seem to be more susceptible than girls, 
but infants are not frequently affected—at least to such 
a degree as to insure a diagnosis of mumps. 

It may be well to isolate the patient for two or three 
weeks, but this is not usually necessary. Rest in bed 
during the fever and height of the disease is usually 
better, but if the room is warm and the child feels like 
being up and about in the room, there is no danger in 
allowing this. Water only should be given for the first 
few days, with fruit juices, well diluted, if they do not 
cause pain; otherwise a very thin, strained oatmeal 
gruel or barley water may be given. Olive oil in table¬ 
spoonful doses should be given night and morning, and 
a warm enema administered once daily for three or four 
days. Warm oil gently rubbed in over the swelling will 
ease the pain of the stretched skin. A fairly hot tub 
bath or sponge bath given daily will have a helpful 
effect, but there must be precaution against chilling. 
The milk diet is the best with which to follow the 
attack. 

If the swelling “goes down” into the testicle, give 
warm, moist applications or hot sitz-baths, or apply 
petroleum jelly on absorbent gauze, and gently elevate 
the testicles. Do not rub or massage such a testicle. 
If the breasts of girls become inflamed, treat as the face 
swelling is treated, but avoid deep pressure. If the 
[ 308 ] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


ovaries appear to be inflamed, give external hot 
applications. 

Parasites. Practically the only parasites that dis¬ 
turb children are head lice, though they may have intes¬ 
tinal worms, which are discussed under that heading. 
Ordinary kerosene oil has long been used for the eradi¬ 
cation of these parasites. After the application of the 
kerosene the head is covered with a suitable cap for 
twenty-four hours, then it is thoroughly washed with 
soap and water, and a fine-tooth comb used to remove 
the nits. Tincture of green soap, vinegar and other 
acids, diluted, are also used. 

The latest preparation is xylene, a colorless liquid 
made from coal tar. This preparation not only kills 
the parasites, but penetrates and destroys their ova, 
or eggs; yet it does not produce any inflammation of 
the skin, though causing a sharp, burning sensation. 
It is best to dilute it with equal parts of alcohol and 
ether. Cotton is soaked in this mixture and each strand 
of hair run through the cotton; the scalp is also care¬ 
fully gone over. This treatment will cure the condition 
in less than an hour, even when the hair is long. If 
there is eczema or scabs, soften these places first with 
vaseline, then apply a mixture of xylene and vaseline 
(two parts of the former to fifteen of the latter) to the 
scalp and hair. The next day thoroughly wash 
the hair and scalp, and then apply xylene, alcohol and 
ether in proportions before mentioned. The vaseline 
and xylene may now be used again. Then take a fine- 
tooth comb and remove all lice and their nits. The 
same preparation may be used for lice affecting other 
[ 309 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


parts of the body, but it will produce a stinging 
sensation that lasts a few hours if applied about the 
scrotum, or the external genital organs of the female. 

Pimples (Acne). These usually result from dietetic 
errors or uncleanliness. Pale anemic children, or the 
rather fat and ruddy ones, are more likely to suffer 
from pimples than are children of the types between. 
These eruptions usually appear on the face, neck and 
chest, and may exude either a blackhead or a small 
amount of pus. 

It is necessary to reduce starches, sweets, proteins 
and fats in the diet of children so affected, and make 
the diet mainly milk, with fresh fruits and fresh vege¬ 
tables for the children old enpugh to use such foods. 
For younger children a limited amount of milk with 
fruit is to be given. A comparatively large amount 
of water should be taken internally, and the enema may 
be employed occasionally. Hot and cold applications 
to the affected areas, and bathing with pure soap-suds, 
are usually effective, while entire body packs may give 
good results. Daily sun and air baths with body nude 
are also valuable. Dry friction baths are good, if the 
skin is not irritated too severely by them. Steam baths 
are especially valuable, and exposure to the rays of the 
Alpine Sun Lamp will prove very effective. There 
should be no “coddling” at any time, and fresh air 
must be allowed in abundance. 

Pink-Eye (Acute Contagious Conjunctivitis.) This 
is a condition not infrequently seen in small children, 
and is considered to be an infection by a specific germ. 

[8101 




Common Ills of Childhood 


At first there is considerable watery discharge from the 
eyes, with an intensifying of the pink color of the 
mucous membrane, and slight swelling of the lids, which 
feel as if sand were under them. Sometimes the eyes 
are sensitive to light. In two or three days the dis¬ 
charge becomes thick, frequently changing into pus; the 
lids are stuck together in the morning and after a nap, 
with sometimes a decided swelling and redness, and the 
nose usually becomes involved by the catarrh. Gen¬ 
erally a few days sees the end of the symptoms, but 
several weeks may elapse before all signs are gone. 

During the first stage it is well to apply cold com¬ 
presses of boric-acid solution. The eyes should be 
shielded from light, by cloths or dark glasses, or the 
patient kept in a darkened, well-ventilated room. Later 
irrigation of the eyes with either hot or cold boric-acid 
solution is about all the special treatment needed. An 
enema should be given early in the disease, and the diet 
should be reduced to fruits and milk, or possibly light 
whole-grain gruels, with some soft vegetables. As soon 
as the pus discharge is noticed many physicians recom¬ 
mend the use of an eye wash composed of one grain of 
sulphite of zinc to one ounce of distilled water. Two 
or three days persistent use of this wash three or four 
times a day usually results in complete recovery. 

Pneumonia (Pneumonitis). The form of pneumonia 
from which children suffer is called broncho-pneumonia, 
or lobular pneumonia. It is a catarrhal inflammation, 
first of the bronchi, and then of the working cells of 
the lung tissue proper. A simple acute form follows a 
severe bronchial catarrh; another form follows infec- 
[ 311 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


tious fevers and other severe illnesses. Some areas of 
the lung are consolidated, and some are collapsed. 

In older children the first symptom may be a chill. 
The onset is almost always sudden, and in young chil¬ 
dren convulsions are common. High fever (104° 
Fahr.), severe cough, respirations as rapid as one a 
second (sixty a minute), extreme difficulty in breathing, 
very rapid, weak pulse, blueness of the face, and cold 
extremities are the other characteristic symptoms. 



The application of a hot, wet abdominal pack which, as shown 
in the illustration, covers the chest as well as the abdomen, 
being wrapped entirely round the body, and covered by a 
dry towel. 

The treatment requires withdrawal of all food except 
hot acidulated drinks, or weak salt water; an enema 
daily; rest in bed; cotton or light wool over a linen 
jacket covering the chest; outdoor air or full ventila¬ 
tion of the room, but no drafts; sunlight directly on 
the child’s body. If fever is very high, an air bath will 
help to reduce it safely. A daily wet-sheet pack with 
sufficient flannel to bring about decided perspiration 
over the trunk is of great value, especially if alternated 
[312] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


With a similar one to the abdomen. A flaxseed poultice 
containing one and one-half drams of mustard may be 
applied to the chest on or after the fourth day, and 
renewed hourly for six to eight hours. When it is 
removed, bathe the chest quickly with a cool wet cloth 
and put on the linen jacket. This may be repeated 
the next day. Hot or cold chest packs may relieve 
chest pains. 

Change the position of the child frequently from 
side to front, back, or the other side. This prevents 
too severe and serious congestion in any one part of the 
chest, which would endanger the little life more than 
necessary. 

As in other serious childhood diseases, it is usually 
best to call in a physician; but if proper treatment is 
instituted at the appearance of the very first symptoms, 
it is probable that no pneumonia will develop. 

After recuperation is well established, a milk diet 
should be used, gradually working up in four or five 
days from a very small amount daily to full capacity. 
Some acid fruit juices may be given also. After break¬ 
ing the fast, guard against constipation by small 
enemas, but avoid these when possible. 

Prickly Heat (Miliaria). This is an inflammation 
of the sweat glands, appearing suddenly in acute form. 
The red elevations or blisters (or both) are very tiny 
and may be few or many, covering the neck and trunk, 
or wherever perspiration is greatest. There is a con¬ 
stant prickling, tingling, or burning sensation. Too 
much clothing and hot weather, with a heating diet, are 
responsible for the disease. 

[ 313 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 


It is necessary that the cause be removed or avoided. 
Clothing should be cool, porous knitwear being best. 
No wool should be worn. The diet must be considerably 
lighter than ordinary, and the bowels must be kept 
active. Cool sponge or shower baths daily are excellent, 
and the parts should be protected with a dusting of 

powder or some 
pure talcum, after 
thorough drying. 
A teaspoonful of 
baking soda to the 
pint of water may 
be used as a local 
wash, or local ap¬ 
plications of a lo- 
t i o n containing 
either carbolic 
acid, menthol, ben¬ 
zoic acid, or sod- 
How to prepare a hot pack. Illustrat- . , . , , 

ing the method of holding the ends of a 1 u m bicarbonate, 
bath towel while it is immersed in a pan may be used to 
of boiling water. Wring dry by twist- .. J , . , . 
ing the ends in opposite directions, a hay the itching. 

Rheumatism. Children rather frequently (infants 
infrequently) have rheumatism of one or more joints, 
which become swollen, red and extremely painful. The 
muscles also become sore and stiff, and there may be 
symptoms of a nervous nature, or of heart affection. 
St. Vitus’ dance, or heart disease, may result from the 
condition. Tonsilitis is not infrequently associated 
with the rheumatism, or may precede it. High fever is 
nearly always present. 



[ 314 ] 







Common Ills of Childhood 


The treatment must be eliminative in character, and 
a fiuit-juice fast is best for a few days. Disregard 
the old-fashioned and wrong idea that these fruits 
aggravate the disturbance. They appear to do so only 
as they are aiding the body to throw off the causative 
toxins more rapidly. 

The enema should be used to thoroughly cleanse the 
colon, and much water should be taken daily, to increase 
kidney activity. Hot water is preferable to cold. 

Fruit juices and milk should follow the fruit fast 
until all symptoms have subsided. Rest is usually 
required in these cases, on account of the pain, and of 
the heart disturbance. Dry heat applied to the painful 
areas is soothing and helpful. 

Rickets (Rachitis). This is a diseased condition of 
the bones in which they become softened and, as a rule, 
deformed, owing to a deficiency of mineral salts and vita- 
mines in the food. Deficiency of sunlight is also a prom¬ 
inent causative factor. The muscles and ligaments be¬ 
come weak, and there are nutritional changes and nerv¬ 
ous symptoms, as restlessness, beady perspiration of the 
head, disturbed sleep, and perhaps some fever. There 
may also be brief spasms or convulsions. The bones 
soften and become enlarged at the ends. This is espe¬ 
cially noticeable in the long bones of the body, particu¬ 
larly of the legs, leading to bow-legs, knock-knees, etc. 
The teeth may not come in at the usual time, and then 
irregularly. The abdomen is generally enlarged and 
hollow-sounding, and constipation may alternate with 
diarrhea. 

The proper treatment consists of correct feeding, and 

[ 315 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


not of fasting. Fruit juices for one day, and a thor¬ 
oughly effective enema will cleanse the digestive tract 
and prepare it for the milk and fruit diet. Only raw 
milk should be used if this can possibly be procured, 
and lemon, orange and grapefruit juice should be given 
as desired, especially if it is necessary to use pasteurized 
milk. Scraped apple, or prune pulp is also good. A 
few soft vegetables, as fresh peas, asparagus, and car¬ 
rots, may be allowed, as may also a small amount of 
whole-grain products, prepared soft and served with a 
small amount of butter, or cream, with honey or raisins. 
Later the child’s diet may be so regulated that it will 
be sure to receive a full supply of the mineral elements. 
As far as possible, uncooked foods should be used, and 
fruits and nuts with milk are especially to be recom¬ 
mended. Play out of doors is important. Sun and air 
baths, friction baths and tepid water baths are all excel¬ 
lent. Massage and electricity may be employed with 
benefit, either early or late in the treatment. 

Ringworm (Tinea). This is a parasitic disease of 
the skin that is gradually becoming less and less familiar 
and seems destined eventually to become unknown. Dif¬ 
ferent parts of the body may be affected, but in young 
children it is usually the scalp that is attacked by the 
parasites, which form circular areas of eruptive scaly 
patches of yellowish color. Mild itching accompanies 
the affection. 

Thorough bodily cleanliness will prevent the develop¬ 
ment of ringworm, and is therefore valuable in removing 
the condition when present. Frequent bathing with 
soap and water—green soap is especially good for the 
[ 316 ] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


purpose followed by applications of an ointment of 
powdered sulphur and olive oil, will in most cases bring 
about a cure within a short time, but it may be neces¬ 
sary in certain cases to secure other ointments. A pro¬ 
gram should be begun at once for increasing general 
bodily health and the resistance of the skin to attack 
by any parasitic disorder. Frequent air, sun and fric¬ 
tion baths are to be strongly recommended. 

Scarlet Fever (Scarlatina). This acute conta¬ 
gious eruptive disease begins as a very sudden attack, 
with vomiting, chills, high fever (103° to 104° Fahr.), 
headache, sore throat, rapid pulse and the eruption. 
Convulsions may occur, with delirium. Prostration is 
usually marked. The tonsils and entire back part of the 
mouth and throat are usually red and congested, and 
dark red spots appear on the palate. First the neck 
and chest, and then the entire body, are covered with a 
bright scarlet rash, with quite severe itching and burn- 
ing. This appears in from twelve to thirty-six hours, 
and reaches its height in about three days, then grad- 
ually fades. On about the seventh day the skin begins 
to peel off in scales, most noticeably on the hands and 
feet. This peeling continues for from two to five weeks. 
After about the fourth day the temperature begins to 
subside, and in five or six days is normal, if there are no 
complications. A characteristic symptom is the “straw¬ 
berry tongue”—the red, enlarged elevations giving the 
tongue the faint appearance of a strawberry. There 
is no appetite, but considerable thirst, and sleepiness. 
The bowels may be loose or constipated, and the urine 
is reduced in amount and highly colored. 

[ 317 ] 




How to Raise the Baby 


Some cases are very mild, with only a rash, while 
others are extremely severe and may end fatally within 
twenty-four hours. Even the mild cases, as well as the 
usual and the severest forms, may become complicated 
with affections of the kidneys, middle ear, throat, heart, 
eyes, or joints; or chorea (St. Vitus’ dance) may 
result. Proper treatment instituted early lessens the 
danger of the disease and of its complications. Acute 
kidney disease may develop in three or four weeks after 
the beginning of the malady. 

Cases of this disease should be strictly isolated, and 
great care observed in disinfecting all garments and 
other things coming in contact with the patient, nurse, 
or room. The contagious element, whether from secre¬ 
tions, excretions, or scales, clings to wearing apparel, 
furniture, etc., and remains capable of causing the 
disease (in susceptible individuals) for a longer time 
than the contagious element of any other disease. For 
this reason, disinfection must be extremely thorough 
after the disease has subsided. The patient should be 
kept in bed and the room thoroughly ventilated. The 
bowels should be cleansed by the enema, and by olive oil 
internally, unless the latter causes disturbance in the 
stomach. The same strict dietetic precautions sug¬ 
gested under “Measles” should be taken in this disease. 

Scurvy (Acute Rickets; Barlow’s Disease). Infan¬ 
tile scurvy is constitutional and associated with errors 
in diet which have continued for a considerable period 
of time. Digestive disorders, sensitive bones, hemor¬ 
rhages, swollen extremities and anemia are present, 
together with a general condition of malnutrition and 
[ 318 ] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


wasting. The condition progresses slowly, and exhaus¬ 
tion may bring about a fatal end, unless proper treat¬ 
ment is given early. 

This treatment consists, for breast-fed babies, of a 
change in the mother’s diet, or a change of the child’s 
diet to bottle milk. In the case of a bottle-fed baby 
there should be an alteration in its milk formula. Fresh 
milk modified as little as possible is the best remedy in 
most cases, and fruit juices, diluted or straight, may 
hasten the return to normal. 

Smallpox (Variola). This is the most virulently 
contagious and infectious of all acute febrile diseases, 
and is typically a filth disease. It is becoming com¬ 
paratively rare, but doubtless because of better sanitary 
measures and precautions, and not because of 
vaccination. 

The most characteristic feature of the disease is an 
eruption that changes from spots to slight elevations, 
the latter becoming blebs or blisters, and later changing 
to pustules; these form scabs, which drop off, leaving 
the well-known depressed pock-marks. In most cases 
the eruptions appear scattered, but in others they run 
together; in still others they cause hemorrhages. This 
latter is the most likely to be fatal. Some cases are 
very mild, the eruptions not typical. The eruptions 
first appear (in the average case) on the abdomen, and 
spread to chest, neck and face, until the entire body 
may be affected, even the palms of the hands, the soles 
of the feet, and the inner surfaces of the mouth and 
nostrils. 

A chill, with an intense frontal headache, a severe 

[ 319 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


lumbar backache, nausea and vomiting, usually appear 
at the onset. Fever rises to 103° or 104° Fahr., by 
the end of the second day, and remains high until the 
papules appear on the skin, when it quickly falls several 
degrees. When the eruption becomes pustules, on the 
eighth or ninth day, the fever rises again, to about 105°. 
The face swells considerably, and the affected area is 
very painful. The papules, vesicles and pustules each 
last about three days. Laryngitis, broncho-pneumonia, 
pleurisy, and eye diseases may appear as complications. 
Fifteen to thirty per cent of the cases are fatal, but 
proper treatment, without vaccination, hastens recovery 
and tends to prevent complications. 

The cases must be strictly isolated, and disinfection 
must be thorough. Patients should be in bed if the 
case is typical, or if the fever and general symptoms 
are pronounced. The bowels should be thoroughly 
cleansed by high enemas, preferably with Epsom salts 
in the water. The patient should also drink an abun¬ 
dance of hot or cold water flavored with any fruit juice 
that will add to its palatability. Absolutely no food 
except acid fruit juices should be given until the fever 
has subsided; saline laxatives are permissible in these 
cases. The daily wet-sheet pack, arranged to induce 
profuse perspiration, should be given. This pack may be 
prepared with milk instead of water, as milk helps to 
alleviate inflammation. If fever is very high, an evapo¬ 
rating sheet bath, or an air bath, may be given. The 
air in the room should always be equivalent to that out 
of doors, in amount and quality. Sun baths may help 
obviate pitting as the eruptions heal, and some advise 
the application of cold cream or vaseline for this pur- 
[320] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


pose. A full milk diet given when the appetite returns 
will also favor the healing of the skin without pitting. 
This treatment will hasten recovery, and usually leave 
the patient at least comparatively free from disfig¬ 
urement. 

Sore Throat (See Tonsilitis for treatment). 

Spinal Tuberculosis. Most inflammations of the 
spine, especially in children, are tuberculous, though 
syphilis, rheumatism, and other diseases may be the 
cause. Usually an injury precedes the affection. The 
usual site of the trouble is a little below the center of 
the back, at the junction of the thoracic and lumbar 
vertebrae. The bodies of the vertebrae are inflamed; 
they soften, and usually the spine falls forward at the 
point of inflammation, allowing the posterior promi¬ 
nences to project backward in a protuberance, usually 
more or less to one side. Generally above and below 
this are compensatory curves in the opposite direction. 

The spine is rigid, and the child usually show r s signs 
of weakness. Pain and tenderness are also present. 
Pus is usually formed as the bone softens, and this may 
descend and appear at the groin in front (psoas ab¬ 
scess), or in the loin at the back (lumbar abscess), or 
it may ascend to the cervical region and form a retro¬ 
pharyngeal abscess. At any time spinal paralysis may 
develop, and in the later stages, inflammation of the 
spinal cord is not infrequent. 

Treatment given for tuberculosis in general and for 
hip-joint disease should be employed. The patient 
should in some cases be confined to bed, and sand bags 
may be used as splints—having the child lie between 
[321] 


22 



How to Raise the Baby 


these so as to prevent too much motion of the spine. 
This precaution is rarely necessary after proper treat¬ 
ment has been well begun. If the full milk diet, with 
fruit juices, is given, and the nourishment of the child 
kept up without the forming in the system of excess 
waste and systemic or intestinal acids, the condition 
will subside with the least amount of destruction of bone 
and development of deformity. 

Spinal Curvature. There are three forms of spinal 
curvature—lateral (called scoliosis), backward prom¬ 
inence (kyphosis) and anterior depression, a “sway 
back” condition (lordosis). Muscular weakness, faulty 
posture, under-nourishment, injury, or disease of the 
bones or joints, may be the cause. Heredity, general 
weakness, rickets, rapid growth, and a scrofulous con¬ 
dition all influence the deformity. The symptoms in 
all forms are the same—pain, spinal weakness, and gen¬ 
eral weariness. In lateral curvature one shoulder, or 
one hip, will be higher than the other, and the shoulder 
blade will be more prominent on one side. 

If taken while the deformity is merely muscular, the 
condition can usually be cured; but if the bones have 
become deformed it is more complicated. A strictly 
wholesome, nourishing diet is necessary. Hygiene, pos¬ 
ture, etc., must be improved in every respect. In prac¬ 
tically every case muscular exercise will be the main 
factor in bringing about a correction. Ballet dancing 
and other exercises that involve every muscle of the 
trunk are of greatest value. Spinal stretching is excel¬ 
lent, especially if done sidewise (for lateral curvature) 
over a curved support. Naprapathic treatments, chiro- 
[ 322 ] 





Common Ills of Childhood 


practic adjustments, or osteopathic manipulations, also 
prove beneficial in many cases. 

Stye (Hordeolum). A stye is a circumscribed in¬ 
flammation on the eyelid; in fact it is a small boil. 
It develops near the lid margin, or near a hair root. 
Eyestrain is a very common cause, but styes would not 
be possible if the general health and hygiene were as 
they should be. Temporarily eye rest is useful, and 
dark glasses may be worn; but as a preventive a special 
course of eye exercises is valuable. If used when the 
first sign of the stye appears, the sulphate-of-zinc wash 
mentioned under “Pink Eye” will often bring a quick 
termination of the symptoms. The area of the stye 
must be cleansed, possibly with boric-acid solution, and 
the inflammation can be brought to a “head” by hot 
compresses of the same solution. Attention to the diet, 
satisfactory elimination, and correction of eye defects 
by natural means, will usually prevent future styes 
from forming. 

Sunburn. Children are frequently rather painfully 
sunburned. Cold cream, sweet cream from cow’s milk, 
or zinc-oxide ointment, may be applied over the area, 
and will help to reduce the burning sensation quickly 
and hasten healing. Cold wet cloths applied to the 
affected part will bring immediate relief to the burning 
pain of sunburn, but they must be re-wet as soon as 
they dry out. 

Teething Symptoms. Even in healthy children there 
is quite frequently fretfulness and poor sleep for several 
[ 323 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


nights preceding the cutting of a tooth. There is 
generally loss of appetite. The child may take less 
than one-half of his usual amount of food. There is 
considerable drooling; sometimes slight fever. 

There are usually some digestive troubles—indicated 
by vomiting, or the passing of undigested food in the 
stool; and these can be very greatly mitigated by scru¬ 
pulous care and attention in the selection of the diet. 

With sickly children these symptoms are naturally 
more severe than with healthy, rugged children. They 
ordinarily last for only three or four days, although 
there may be none of the usual gain in weight for two 
or even three weeks. 

Thrush. This is an inflammation of the mouth, with 
small white patches, occurring mostly in young infants. 
It is considered a parasitic affection, and is usually 
called Parasitic Stomatitis. 

Another condition somewhat similar, called Aphthous 
Stomatitis or Herpetic Stomatitis develops in children 
from six to eighteen months of age. In this type there 
is redness and slight swelling of the mucous membrane 
of the mouth, and small white blisters appear on it. 

Another type, called Catarrhal Stomatitis , sometimes 
develops during the eruption of the teeth. Part or all 
of the inside of the mouth may become red, hot and 
dry. Later the saliva flows freely, and the tongue is 
coated. There are also thirst, constipation, and a 
slight fever, usually lasting about a week. 

Still another type, termed Ulcerative Stomatitis , 
appears in children as a result of scurvy, infectious 
fevers, malnutrition, etc. The gums are swollen, red 
[ 324 ] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


and painful, the saliva is increased in amount and is 
acid, irritating and offensive, the breath is foul, and 
hemorrhages occur when pressure is applied to the gums 
or mucous membrane. 

Each of these types, even the last named one, is the 
lesult of bad hygiene, uncleanliness, improper feeding, 
and digestive disturbances. They are all practically 
self-limited, but better hygiene, cleanliness, regulation of 
the bowels, proper feeding, and mouth washes of boric 
acid, sodium salicilate, or hydrogen peroxide, will hasten 
improvement, and should be employed. 

Tonsillitis. Simple Tonsillitis is a catarrhal in¬ 
flammation of the tonsillar mucous membrane, with 
swelling resulting from congestion of the blood-vessels. 
The tonsils themselves are affected also, and are dry, 
hot, painful on pressure, and usually covered with thick 
white mucus. On swallowing there is a feeling as if 
ground glass were passing down the throat. There are 
headache and a slight fever in many cases, with stiffness 
of the neck and general aching. The lymph glands of 
the neck rarely escape swelling. 

In Follicular Tonsillitis the tonsillar crypts are filled 
with whitish cheesy plugs, and other white foul-smelling 
patches appear on the tonsillar surfaces. 

Ulcerative or Phlegmonous Tonsillitis (Quinsy ) is an 
aggravated form in which abscesses form in the tonsils. 
The pain is severe and greatly aggravated by 
swallowing even the saliva. The swallowing of solid 
substances is almost impossible, and should never be 
allowed. 

With the exception of the ulcerative form the outlook 

[ 325 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


is favorable for a prompt recovery, but this form must 
be treated with considerable care or grave consequences 
may result. 

In any of these forms treatment should begin with a 
fully effective enema and abstention from all food except 
acid fruit and fruit juices. An abundance of water, 
hot or cold as preferred, should be given by mouth, and 
to encourage drinking the water may be flavored with 
acid fruit juices, or if the sweet is desired, with honey. 
Cracked ice may be allowed to dissolve in the mouth. 
Cold applications to the neck and jaw are of great value 
in giving relief and reducing the inflammation, though 
in many instances hot packs will be more agreeable and 
beneficial. Alternate hot and cold applications are 
sometimes particularly effective. Hot or cold water 
gargles are excellent, and lemon water, or boric-acid 
solution, may be employed for this purpose. If the 
tonsils are greatly inflamed, a swab of glycerine, phenol 
and tannic acid is sometimes prescribed to help reduce 
the inflammation and soothe the irritation and pain. 
If fever is considerable, the cold-sheet pack may be 
effective in helping to reduce it. Pure air is indis¬ 
pensable at all times. The mouth-breathing tendency 
may be reduced by spraying or irrigating the nostrils 
with salt water, or boric-acid solution, at neutral 
temperature. 

In the ulcerative form use hot packs to the neck and 
jaw, and hot salt-water gargles. Do not use the cold 
packs. Encourage water drinking regardless of the 
pain on swallowing. The abscesses may rupture of their 
own accord, but sometimes the physician in charge will 
lance the tonsil. But the treatment suggested will 
[ 326 ] 




Common Ills of Childhood 


usually bring about excellent results in a short time, 
and lancing is rarely necessary. 

Chronic Enlargement of the Tonsils. Hyper¬ 
trophy of the tonsils is often associated with adenoids, 
with symptoms of mouth breathing, snoring, night¬ 
mares, or disturbing dreams, ear affections, etc. Proper 
constitutional treatment will generally correct all 
these symptoms and their causes, though the adenoids 
themselves may require removal, as they are unnatural 
growths that occasionally resist natural treatment. 
The tonsils being natural and normal structures, with 
a part to play in the physical economy, should be 
retained whenever possible. Starches, candies and 
sweets are the most prominent single cause of both ton¬ 
sil enlargement and adenoids. Intestinal putrefaction, 
fermentation and inactivity are also important causa¬ 
tive factors, and should be corrected and avoided. 

Toothache. Toothache is usually an indication of 
a condition requiring dental treatment. Inflammatory 
toothache may be relieved by external applications of 
cold, or these may be applied to the neck and upper 
spine. If the toothache is of nervous origin, heat will 
be required, which may be applied by hot-water bottles 
or bags, sand bags, or hot fomentations. A hot fig, 
split and placed over the gum and tooth affected is an 
old remedy that is still valuable where local heat is 
desired. If it is impossible to determine the nature of 
the trouble, cold applications may first be given, and 
these followed by hot if necessary. Free drinking of 
hot water will bring considerable relief in some cases, by 
greatly increasing the circulation. If there are cavities, 
[ 327 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


nothing more may be necessary to give relief than to 
clean out the deposit of food substances. Oil of cloves 
applied to a tiny cotton pledget and placed directly 
in a cavity, using care that the substance does not 
touch the gum, is likely to relieve toothache resulting 
from an exposed or sensitive nerve, but the real remedy 
is a visit to the dentist as soon as possible. In the mean¬ 
time, deny the child all sweets, as these aggravate a 
toothache more than all other classes of foods. 

Whooping-Cough (Pertussis). Whooping-cough is 
considered very infectious; it is an inflammation of the 
respiratory tract, with a severe and peculiar spasmodic, 
dry, hollow cough that ends in a whooping intake of 
air. Usually there are symptoms of an acute fever— 
loss of appetite, elevation of temperature, catarrhal 
symptoms, as of a slight bronchitis, and general rest¬ 
lessness. In most cases coughing paroxysms begin dur¬ 
ing the second week, and may increase in severity and 
last for two or three months. The usual duration is 
five to seven weeks. The characteristic cough is a series 
of expiratory coughs followed by a long whooping 
inspiration which may end in vomiting. The vomiting 
and general digestive disturbance may be so severe and 
protracted as to give rise to dangerous complications 
of bronchitis, broncho-pneumonia, convulsions, or nutri¬ 
tional disturbances. On account of these complications, 
twice as many die from whooping-cough as from measles. 
The outlook is generally favorable for a complete res¬ 
toration to normal. 

In treating this condition it is not necessary to con¬ 
fine the patient to bed unless there is fever and general 
[ 328 ] 



Common Ills of Childhood 


weakness. Quiet, however, reduces the number and 
severity of the paroxysms of coughing, and the child 
should probably be put to bed if its coughing is too 
severe, or produces vomiting. Remember, however, that 
vomiting usually indicates overfeeding, or improper 
feeding, and that under such circumstances it is an 
actual benefit. There must be fresh air in abundance, 
day and night, and daily sun baths in the nude if pos¬ 
sible. In cold weather the body must be kept warm, and 
hot-water bottles may be necessary at night. As a rule 
the diet should consist of fruits and milk only, but 
sometimes a diet of chopped meat can be given for a 
short time with advantage. As the appetite is usually 
small, it may be well to allow it to determine the amount 
of food taken. Much water should be taken internally, 
also, and this may be flavored with a little lemon juice 
or honey. A cold pack may be applied to the throat 
at night during the time of most severe paroxysms, 
but this must become heated within a short time after 
application, and should then be renewed. During the 
day a hot chest pack may be given during coughing 
spells. This should be followed by a short sponge bath 
to the chest. Or hot spinal packs may be given once 
daily. A milk diet is valuable during convalescence. 

Worms (Taenia). There are several varieties of 
intestinal worms, but the tapeworm, roundworm, and 
threadworm are the most important. The first inhabits 
the large intestines, and the second the small intestines. 
They produce symptoms of digestive disturbance, with 
increase of appetite, malnutrition, anemia, sometimes 
diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort. The threadworms , 
T329] 




How to Raise the Baby 


or pinzvorms, are very small and inhabit the lower bowel, 
or migrate to the genital organs. They cause an intense 
itching wherever they locate, and if in the genitals may 
lead to masturbation. 

In the treatment of all these forms, a fast of from 
twenty-four to forty-eight hours should be given, 
though a small amount of acid fruit juices may be 
allowed. At the end of the second day, or at the begin¬ 
ning of the third day, a meal of macerated pumpkin 
seed is usually advised for roundworms or tapeworms. 
A salt-water enema will usually prove effective, espe¬ 
cially for the roundworms, or an Epsom-salts enema 
may be given with even greater assurance of desired 
results. In either case the treatment may have to be 
repeated. Ordinary diet may be resumed after the 
treatment, but should be light, and the bowels should be 
active. 

While enemas of salt water or Epsom salts are 
usually effective, a weak solution of carbolic acid (five 
grains to the pint of water), or of alum, may prove 
more satisfactory in some cases. The carbolic solu¬ 
tion, however, should be prepared or prescribed by a 
physician; otherwise do not use it. Usually only one or 
two enemas are required. If the parasites are external, 
about the genitalia, the use of the carbolic solution on 
the affected areas will remove them. A good way to 
use carbolic acid is in carbolated vaseline. This is 
sufficiently strong, yet safe to use. 


[ 330 ] 



CHAPTER XXIII 


Disfigurements and Deficiency 
Disorders 

C ERTAIN deficiency disorders such as rickets and 
its resulting conditions, bowlegs, knock-knees, 
chicken-breast, spinal curvature, etc., are primarily due 
to lack of mineral salts in the child’s diet, or in that of 
the mother during the period of gestation, depriving 
it of the proper materials for bone structure. 

The main factor in overcoming these disorders is the 
proper kind of food. This should consist of whole¬ 
wheat bread, krumbles, shredded-wheat biscuit, Wheat- 
sworth biscuit, whole rice, vegetables of all kinds, plenty 
of milk and fruit—particularly of the citrus variety, 
such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit, as these have a 
high content of alkaline bases. 

Careful adherence to this regimen over a period of 
years will be almost certain to result in immense benefit 
to the nutrition, and will tend to overcome disorders due 
to lack of lime phosphates. 

Deformities of the Feet. Clubfoot (talipes). 
Clubfoot may be either congenital or acquired. There 
are several forms. The heel or the toe may be raised, 
or the foot may be turned with sole inward or outward; 
also the arch may be exaggerated in some cases and the 
foot may have the appearance of the Chinese woman’s 
foot; or the toes may be turned inward, toward each 
other, or outward. One or both feet may be affected. 
Inflammation, rheumatism, rickets, injuries, paralysis, 
[331] 


How to Raise the Baby 


etc., may cause contraction of the muscles, or other 
structures, and produce the deformity. 

The treatment consists of massage and manipulations 
in the indicated directions, and active exercises designed 
to right the abnormality. A mechanical device may also 
be applied to the extremity and, with a lever, the con¬ 
dition may be gradually corrected. If however, proper 
manipulations are used in conjunction with the mechan¬ 
ical device, results will be obtained more quickly. 

If the deformity is flat-foot, special exercises designed 
to strengthen the foot muscles and ligaments, will 
usually effect a cure. Treatment should be begun early 
in all these conditions, and must be persistent to be suc¬ 
cessful. 

Knock-Knee. This is a deformity of the lower ex¬ 
tremities, showing especially at the knee joints. It ap¬ 
pears in infancy, or at adolescence, as the result of 
rickets or muscular paralysis, of standing too early, or 
too long, when undeveloped or more or less devitalized. 
In most cases the condition is not pronounced and may 
require no treatment. In others the knees may knock 
together in walking, and in standing they may overlap, 
unless the feet are considerably separated. Not infre¬ 
quently the victim cannot walk much, or even stand for 
any length of time. 

The general treatment is the same as for rickets. (See 
Chapter XXII, page 315.) 

Between the ages of two and five, mechanical treat¬ 
ment may be of considerable benefit. All local treat¬ 
ment must include outward pressure at the most prom¬ 
inent part of the deformity. A padded rigid splint may 
[332] 




Disfigurements and Deficiency Disorders 


be applied on the outer surface of the leg, and the knee 
taped fairly tightly to this, with the leg straight. It will 
be necessary to fasten this splint at the upper part of 
the thigh and at the ankle also. Care must be taken 
not to exert too great pressure upon the knee, and to 
avoid continuing this pressure too long. If the child is 
old enough to walk, the inner half of the sole and heel of 
the shoe should be built up, with the inner edge varying 
in thickness according to the degree of the deformity. 

Bow-Legs. In this condition the deformity is oppo¬ 
site to knock-knee. Usually the greatest deviation from 
normal is just below the knee and extending for the 
upper third of the lower leg. The entire lower extrem¬ 
ities are in some cases bowed outward. The causes are 
the same as for knock-knee and the general treatment 
will be the same. In some cases the deformity un¬ 
dergoes spontaneous correction. Treatment may be 
given by means of a local splint, as for knock-knee. It 
is perhaps best to have the splint placed on the inner 
surface of the leg, binding the knee down to it, observing 
the same precautions as above regarding the amount 
and duration of the pressure. Massage, with some force 
inward on the knees, or point of greatest outward curve, 
will help. The shoes should be altered by building up 
the outer half of the soles and heels—the opposite of 
the arrangement for knock-knees. 

Cross-Eyes (Squint). This condition is not so fre¬ 
quently present at birth as it is after the child begins to 
observe carefully the things about it. It is then, in many 
cases at least, doubtless brought on by automatic at- 
[333] 




How to Raise the Baby 


tempts to overcome errors of refraction, or by wrong 
lighting conditions. As soon as a child is old enough 
to understand what is desired, it should be given the 
special course of eye treatment given in detail in my 
“Strengthening the Eyes.” If taken early, the special 
exercises and treatment for the eyes will correct many 
of these cases that might otherwise require glasses for a 
lifetime, or an operation. 

Hare-Lip and Ceeft-Palate. Hare-lip and cleft- 
palate are the results of some unknown agency acting 
upon the embryo during the period of gestation, which 
arrests the development of these tissues at a point which 
would correspond with what might be expected in the 
case of some remote ancestor in those days when to 
breathe through gills was the fashion. 

A study of Darwin or Haeckel will explain how these 
“throw-backs” may come about, and why it is that we 
take on, at certain times in our embryological develop¬ 
ment, the various characteristics of the different forms 
of life through which we have evolved in coming up to 
our present level of existence. 

Hare-lip is that condition in which there is a com¬ 
plete cleft through the upper lip. This cleft may ex¬ 
pose the teeth, and at times even extend into the nose. 
It interferes materially with sucking, necessitating a 
specially prepared rubber nipple for this purpose, or 
else constant feeding from a spoon. 

The separated tissues may be joined by a slight sur¬ 
gical operation which gives very satisfactory results. 

In cleft-palate, the cleft may extend directly through 
the palate, making of the mouth and nose one single 
[334] 



Disfigurements and Deficiency Disorders 


cavity. This condition is usually combined with hare¬ 
lip. It is exceedingly difficult to correct later in life, 
while in infancy it makes nursing an impossibility be¬ 
cause of the fact that the babe has no power to suck. 

In this event the mother may eject her milk into a cup 
and feed it to the baby from a spoon, or a feeding cup 
with a long spout. This will enable the child to secure 
the milk by gravity instead of suction. She may also 
obtain a rubber nipple combined with a flap of thin 
rubber, w r hich acts as a false palate, closing the cleft 
in the palate during nursing. It is not wise to operate 
on these cases until the child is two years old or more. 

Tongue-Tie. Another slight developmental defect 
is tongue-tie. This is a condition in which the tongue 
is held more or less bound down to the floor of the mouth 
by the thin fold of mucous membrane, called the frenu¬ 
lum, seen underneath the center of the tongue. In in¬ 
fancy the condition interferes with nursing, especially 
swallowing; hence, it might prevent normal nourishment; 
later it interferes with talking, frequently being re¬ 
sponsible for lisping. Correction of the trouble is so 
simple that it should be done in every case, but always 
by a physician. All that is necessary is to clip the 
frenulum sufficiently to free the tongue, care being ne¬ 
cessary to avoid cutting the artery that runs through 
this tissue. 

What to do for Protruding Ears. Protruding 
ears cause the young mother considerable concern, as 
they are quite likely to be extremely disfiguring in later 
life, if the condition is not corrected. 

[ 335 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


A great deal can be done to remedy this deformity if 
taken in time. All that is required is that the mother 
keep constantly around the head a bandage binding the 
ears to the side of the head. The delicate cartilage will 
rapidly accommodate itself to this pressure, and after a 
few months’ treatment remain relatively flat to the head. 

Every mother should be very careful to see that when 
her baby sleeps on its side, the ear is never bent over, as 
this is one of the most common causes for protruding 
ears. 

Many mothers find that a cap, or a network bandage, 
worn during sleep, will not only help to keep the ears 
from being bent, but will also tend to press them 
against the side of the head. 

If, at the age of three or four, the ears protrude to 
such an extent as to be really unsightly, the condition 
can be corrected by a slight surgical operation. This 
is what is known as “cosmetic surgery.” It is attended 
by very little pain, and no danger. 

Birthmarks and Warts. Birthmarks, moles, and 
hairy disfigurations are quite common. 

They are in no way connected, as I have shown in a 
previous chapter, with impressions made upon the 
mother’s mind during the time she was carrying the 
child. 

The naevus , or birthmark , as it is called, consists of 
a purple or reddish patch on the skin. In some instances 
it is disposed to extensive growth, in which event it may 
possibly prove a source of danger in forming the nidus 
for a cancer in later life. 

A mole is a dark spot in the skin caused by an exces- 

[386] 




Disfigurements and Deficiency Disorders 


sive deposit of pigment in that area. It may be either 
smooth, or else covered with hair. Moles are generally 
small, but sometimes sufficiently developed to detract 
materially from the looks of the child. 

Warts are merely excrescenses on the surface of the 
skin, and while unsightly, are not in any sense of suffi¬ 
cient importance to cause anxiety. Curiously enough, 
they seem to be somewhat under the control of the mind, 
inasmuch as they respond in a surprising number of in¬ 
stances to mental suggestion, implanted directly or 
through some of the old wives’ sorceries, such as rubbing 
the wart with the left hind leg of a rabbit killed in the 
graveyard in the light of the moon, and other equally 
silly procedures. Warts can be burnt out with elec¬ 
tricity, and the process is not very painful. 

The best and most effective treatment for all these 
troubles is the use of the cautery, or caustic. Or the 
carbonic snow, which is now so extensively used by cos¬ 
metic surgeons generally, may produce good results. 

These defects, with the exception of birthmarks, are 
almost invariably amenable to intelligent treatment, the 
results of which are in some cases well worth the effort 
and expense involved. But one should usually not at¬ 
tempt home treatment, particularly for birthmarks. 
These are sometimes removed by the electro-cautery, or 
by treatment with the mercury sun lamp, etc., but 
usually a scar is left almost as undesirable as the birth¬ 
mark itself. 

Stooped or Round Shoulders. General weakness 
is one of the most frequent causes for a child’s “slump¬ 
ing,” and this habit in time may lead to a permanent 
[337] 


23 



How to Raise the Baby 


curving of the spine, with prominence of the shoulder- 
blades and protrusion of the head. The height of school 
desk or table, in relation to the chair, has caused this 
condition in thousands of cases. Nearsightedness is also 
responsible for many cases. If there is incipient dis¬ 
ease of the spine, there may be a stooping, also, due 
either to the weakness, pain, or change in the structure 
of the bones. 

The correction of the condition depends upon correc¬ 
tion of the cause, and teaching the child to maintain 
an erect position constantly. Exercises designed for 
strengthening the spinal muscles are highly important, 
but should not be carried to the point of fatigue. So 
also is a nourishing diet. Braces are crutches only, and 
train the child to depend upon this unnatural support, 
with aggravation of the weakness and deformity, in 
many cases. 


[388] 



CHAPTER XXIV 


Nervous Weakness and Nervous Diseases 

T HE delicate structure of an infant’s brain is, in it¬ 
self, an invitation to irritating conditions. More 
plastic than any modeling clay, it takes its impressions 
from its surroundings, and from every influence that 
acts upon it. 

Therefore extreme care must be taken to make sure 
that babies are not disturbed in their rest, and that no 
habit is established which might interfere with their get¬ 
ting the proper amount of rest. 

Infants should be let alone as much as possible. They 
require peaceful, quiet surroundings. If they are prone 
to nervousness, they should see very few people, and 
should be played with little or not at all. They should 
never be quieted with soothing syrups, or given so-called 
“pacifiers” to play with. 

Except for a very brief period of exercise daily, or, 
for a while at first, every second day, babies under six 
months of age should never be played with. Too much 
attention makes them nervous and irritable, gives them 
indigestion, and tends to make them sleep badly at night. 

All these effects, in turn, inevitably bring about a 
state of “backwardness,” which may develop into a per¬ 
manent condition that will handicap a child through its 
whole life. 

Nothing in the world is more important than sound, 
healthy nerves, and nothing is easier to develop, if only 
one uses a little common sense. 

[339] 


How to Raise the Baby 


The following are some of the most frequent and 
troublesome of the nervous ailments of children. 

Chorea (St. Vitus’ Dance). This is a fairly common 
condition that develops slowly and, in some cases, pro¬ 
gresses to a point where the patient is absolutely in¬ 
capacitated from taking care of himself. The most 
prominent symptom is irregular spasmodic twitching of 
the muscles of some part of the body. At times some 
of the movements continue during rest, but usually not. 
Children are sometimes affected as early as five years of 
age, but not often younger than this. For some reason 
girls have this complaint more than boys. Usually 
there is also an under-nourished appearance—anemia. 
There is also, usually, a poor appetite and constipation, 
with irritable temper. Hard application to school work 
is frequently noticed in these little patients, and this 
may be a partial cause. Other causes are children’s 
diseases (which often closely precede the chorea), 
fright, worry, nagging, injury and the conditions pro¬ 
ducing rheumatism. 

It is frequently necessary that these patients be given 
considerable rest. They must be kept away from other 
children who might irritate them. Play out of doors 
that is thoroughly enjoyed and is not too strenuous is 
usually of value, but competitive games are usually in¬ 
jurious because of the excitement they induce. They 
should have abundant undisturbed sleep. Constipation 
must be corrected, and worms and external genital irri¬ 
tations must be removed. Tea and coffee and all can¬ 
dies, sweets and pastries should be kept from the child. 
[340] 



Nervous Weakness and Nervous Diseases 


The diet should consist almost entirely of good milk, 
with some fruits and, possibly, fresh vegetables. A 
daily warm relaxing bath can usually be given with ad¬ 
vantage, followed or preceded by general massage and 
passive movements. A daily sun and air bath for 
a few minutes, with or without body friction, will be of 
great value. Electricity may be used later with consid¬ 
erable benefit. 

Epilepsy. The first attack of this dreaded malady 
is likely to come on without warning. In this disease the 
victim loses consciousness, or has convulsions, or both. 
The attacks are frequently preceded by a peculiar sen¬ 
sation called the “aura,” but this sensation is not inter¬ 
preted until after a few attacks. There may be an un¬ 
conscious cry at the same time. Sometimes the spells 
come on only at night during sleep. There is usually 
a frothing at the mouth after a few jerky movements of 
the body, and the face becomes congested and bluish, 
following a deathly paleness. Then relaxation comes, 
and the patient sinks into an extremely deep sleep. The 
only signs of the attack on awaking (in both the day 
and night forms) may be lameness of the muscles and a 
sore tongue from biting during the convulsions. 

The cause of the disease is not known, but there is 
supposed to be some hereditary influence in many cases. 
In others, a neurotic tendency exists. Alcoholism, in¬ 
herited syphilis, malnutrition, rickets, fevers, worms, 
injury and digestive disturbance are all considered as 
causes in individual cases. 

During the attack all that needs to be done is to keep 
the patient from injuring himself, if possible. A piece 
[341] 



How to Raise the Baby 


of rubber, a folded handkerchief, or other cloth or soft 
substance, may be stuffed between the teeth; but care 
must be taken that it cannot choke the patient. In a 
few minutes the attack is over and the patient asleep. 
Protect him from cold, and nothing else need be done. 

Between the attacks the diet must be given consider¬ 
able attention. It is best to fast for a few days, in most 
cases, or to have nothing but fruit juices. Then the diet 
should be gradually increased to sufficient to maintain 
strength and weight, but should never be quite all the 
patient wants. Meats and heavy proteins, pastries, 
sweets and fats (except butter) should not be allowed. 
Salt can be used sparingly, but all spices and condiments 
should be withheld. Fruits and vegetables, milk and 
some whole-grain cereals should constitute the diet. The 
bowels must be kept active, by the proper foods, exercise, 
abdominal massage, and enemas if necessary. An abun¬ 
dance of fresh air and sunlight are necessary, also sleep. 

Insomnia. Many children occasion considerable 
anxiety by their inability to sleep at night. This is a 
rather serious condition, as it implies an irritated state 
in the system, which, if allowed to continue too long, 
might result in very serious nervous disorder. 

Naturally, all exciting causes should be removed. The 
child should not be allowed to play immediately before 
bedtime, or to become excited in any way. A too hearty 
meal at night, in the case of older children, often occa¬ 
sions insomnia, although more frequently it will be found 
that a limited amount of light food just before going to 
bed will serve to draw the blood away from the brain, 
and bring about healthful sleep. 

[342] 



Nervous Weakness and Nervous Diseases 


Naturally, any bright light in the room, or the sound 
of voices, must be guarded against in the case of chil¬ 
dren who are troubled with insomnia. 

Occasionally it has been found that a warm bath just 
before going to bed has a decidedly sedative action. It 
is distinctly helpful in equalizing the circulation and in 
bringing about the state of relaxation that favors sleep. 

Night-Terrors. This is one of the most common 
nervous disorders of babies and young children. Every 
mother is familiar with the phenomenon which manifests 
itself most frequently at from two to six years of age, or 
older. The children may apparently be in perfect 
health, and go to bed with every indication of spending 
a quiet and restful night. 

Suddenly, without any apparent cause, they start 
from sleep, screaming with fright and chattering with 
cold. They may even jump from the bed and run about 
the room, totally oblivious to the fact that the mother, 
or some other equally familiar member of the family, 
may be trying to quiet them. 

Night-terrors must not be confused with ordinary 
nightmare, which is merely a distressing dream, the evil 
influences of which disappear almost immediately on 
awakening. In nightmare, the child is usually able to 
state the cause of its fright, while in night-terrors 
there is usually no ability to assign a definite cause for 
the trouble. 

These attacks may occur once or more a night, or at 
intervals of a week or thereabouts. In some rare 
instances, attacks in every way similar to night-terrors 
[343] 




How to Raise the Baby 


may even take place while the child is awake, or during 
his play. 

The chief cause of night-terrors is believed to be some 
disturbance of digestion, associated with an exhausted 
nervous condition. The trouble has sometimes proved 
to be the forerunner of epilepsy. 

In order to effect a cure, it is necessary to place the 
child on a restricted diet, favoring milk, whole-wheat 
bread and fruit, and eliminating meat, eggs, or highly 
concentrated protein foods. The last meal at night 
should be especially light in character. 

Daily movements of the bowels should be secured. 
Plenty of water should be drunk, and a healthy outdoor 
life insisted upon. 

In children who are old enough to understand, splen¬ 
did results have been secured by suggestive treatments. 
This forms the basis of the treatment ordinarily given 
by psycho-analyists, and those who employ suggestive 
therapeutics for the relief of various functional 
disorders. 

It consists simply in talking to the child, in a quiet, 
firm tone, after the child has gone to bed and is asleep. 
At this time the objective mind is at rest. The sub¬ 
conscious mind, which governs all the automatic func¬ 
tioning of the body, as well as the activities of the brain 
during sleep, is appealed to directly. 

Surprising results have been secured by this simple 
procedure, which is not only effective for night-terrors 
and nightmares, but also for bad habits and various 
deficiencies. 


[344] 



CHAPTER XXV 


The Mistakes of Mothers Corrected 

A CAT is said to have nine lives, but when you con¬ 
sider the way the average baby is abused you might 
with reason maintain that the human infant has ninety- 
nine lives. What a baby can stand, and still live, is al¬ 
most beyond belief. If it were not for what might be 
termed the stupendous vitality possessed by the human 
race, we should sink into oblivion in a few generations. 

Nearly all the mistakes made by the average mother 
in the rearing of her children are due to delusions that 
are as ancient as they are persistent. Even those par¬ 
ents who recognize the errors of the prevailing system, 
often lack the courage to put their beliefs into practice, 
fearing that harm may befall their darlings and that 
they will be accused of sacrificing them to “new¬ 
fangled” notions. Here is a summary of these delusions: 

That a baby from birth must be swaddled in as 
many garments as possible, the fact being ignored that 
the skin, for a half-score of reasons, ought to have free 
contact with the outside air. 

That rooms through which the air is circulating are 
highly dangerous to a baby’s health, when, as a matter 
of fact, precisely the contrary is the case. 

That a baby will grow strong and vigorous even if it 
be rarely taken outside of the house. 

That so-called baby foods are just as good as the 
food which Nature provided for the infant, although 
breast milk has a living, vital quality which is absent in 
[845] 


How to Raise the Baby 


any patent preparations and contains every element in 
the exact proportion needed for the making of blood, 
bone, flesh and sinew, if the mother is normal and her 
diet is right. 

That “soothing syrups” and like poisonous com¬ 
pounds are harmless and really do the work which their 
proprietors foolishly or mendaciously claim they 
accomplish. 

That whenever baby cries it must be hungry, whereas 
it is often thirsty and wants water instead of more 
nourishment. 

That the idiotic custom of jogging, jolting, or thump¬ 
ing the back of the baby is, for some reason or other, 
an excellent one, whereas an adult subjected to the same 
treatment day after day would soon exhibit symptoms 
of internal derangement of some sort. 

That it doesn’t do baby a bit of harm to keep its little 
brain excited and its immature nerves tense during most 
of its waking hours by teaching it cunning tricks, or 
making it do stunts for the edification of admiring 
friends or adoring relatives. 

That it is a harmless amusement to feed baby morsels 
of meat, pastry, candy and the like, and watch its 
instinctive efforts to get rid of the unnatural stuff. 

That baby is made of glass, and is, in consequence, 
likely to snap if exercised in any way. 

That promiscuous kissing of the child, even by 
strangers, doesn’t do it any harm. 

That the use of the enema is perfectly dreadful, but 
that powerful purgatives are quite permissible. 

That huge diapers are desirable, notwithstand¬ 
ing that they tend to produce bow-legs and weaken 
[346] 




The mite of life whose health depends on mother care. 

[ 347 ] 








How to Raise the Baby 


the muscles of the abdomen by subjecting them to a 
perpetual sweat bath. 

That baby needs the hottest kind of baths, and that 
the pores of the skin must be clogged with a layer of 
powder of some kind. 

That a mother’s instinct is a sufficient guide in the 
raising of her children, and she doesn’t need any instruc¬ 
tion from those who have made a special study of the 
problem. 

It is the purpose of this book to dispel such super¬ 
stitions with the light of truth, to impress upon mothers 
and others responsible for the care of children their 
grave responsibilities, and to show them how simple are 
Nature’s laws and how easily they may be applied to 
the care of these little ones. 

A baby is a little animal, but it must be remembered 
that he cannot defend himself as can the young of other 
animals. He is helpless and at the mercy of his care¬ 
takers. He can be assisted to grow strong and sturdy, 
or he can be so injured in the first few weeks of his 
existence that, even if he survives, he can never attain 
his normal development, nor live out his normal span 
of life. 

Some mistakes can be corrected, but, unfortunately, 
this is not true of all. Therefore it behooves the mother 
to see that the baby has everything it needs for its 
growth and development, and that it is protected from 
everything which might injure its health. 

Being a little animal, the baby is a part of Nature— 
nothing supernatural, nothing beyond the influence of 
Nature’s laws. But, though much study has been de¬ 
voted to the feeding, housing and general care of other 
[ 348 ] 



The Mistakes or Mothers Corrected 


animals—horses, cattle, sheep, dogs, cats, birds, etc.,— 
that their health may be maintained and their purpose 
in life carried out to the fullest extent, a child, perhaps 
in the home of one who is making such studies, may 
die for want of a fraction of the attention given to these 
creatures. 

Yet the baby needs more care in the selection of its 
diet and the regulation of the other conditions of its life 
than any other animal requires, because of the fact that 
previous generations have handed down to it the ten¬ 
dency to weakness and disease. 

A baby is more active for its size than any adult— 
it expends more energy for its weight in a given time 
than does an adult. Therefore it is detrimental to a 
baby’s health and growth to in any way restrict its 
physical activity. 

A baby’s recuperative powers are great, and, if it has 
previously received proper care, will, if given a chance, 
quickly restore it to health in case disease develops. 

But giving it a chance does not mean unnatural treat¬ 
ment by medicine, coddling, etc. The vital force within 
the little body will be either depressed by this treat¬ 
ment or over-stimulated, and the depression or stimula¬ 
tion may be sufficient to overpower the vital force and 
snuff out a young life at its beginning. 

It has been my purpose in preparing this book to pre¬ 
sent the safest and most effective means of preserving 
and restoring health in infancy and childhood. The 
material is based upon much experience and observation, 
not only my own, but that of many physicians and 
scientists who have viewed the disorders of infancy and 
childhood as disturbances of health resulting naturally 
[ 349 ] 



How to Raise the Baby 


from removable causes, rather than as outside condi¬ 
tions which appear “out of nowhere” for the purpose 
of harassing the innocent ones. 

Ill health, viewed merely as a remediable disturbance 
of the health-maintaining functions, is a comparatively 
simple matter, and not the highly complex subject one 
is led to believe by the old school of medicine—which 
has not studied health in children or adults, but disease 
and ill health alone. 

A series of “Dont’s” could be appended here, but my 
endeavor has been to point out the substitutes for 
“Don’ts.” Modern psychology has shown that we are 
inclined to do what we are told not to do. Instead of 
“Don’t,” I have tried to say “Do.” I have endeavored 
to present the 'proper way of caring for children and I 
am convinced that if the instructions here given were 
generally followed, the result would be greater health 
and freedom from disease for all children, greater 
vitality to resist disease in the future, greater mentality 
because of the better bodies, and a greater race. 

(the end) 


[ 350 ] 



Helpful Government Bulletins 
for Mothers 

The following books and pamphlets, issued by the 
Government, will be found very helpful: 

“Average Heights and Weights of Children Under 
Six Years of Age,” 1921. 4 pages. (Children’s Bureau, 
Community Child-welfare Series 2). 5c 

“Child Care: pt. 1, The Pre-school Age.” 1918, 88 
pages, illus. (Care of Children Series 3). 20c 

“Child-welfare Exhibits, Types and Preparation,” 

1915, 58 pages, illus. (Children’s Bureau, Misc. Series 
4 ) 20c 

“Food for Young Children, 3 to 6 Years of Age, 
with Recipes.” (Farmer’s Bulletin 717). 10c 

“Handbook of Federal Statistics of Children.” Pt. 1, 
Number of children in United States, with their sex, 
age, race, nativity, parentage and geographic distribu¬ 
tion, 1914, 106 pages. (Children’s Bureau, Misc. Series 
3) . 10c 

“Heights and Weights of Children.” Classification 
by age and by sanitation of 1,652 white school children 
in the City of. X (Public Health Reprint 303). 5c 

“How to Conduct a Children’s Health Conference.” 

1917, 24 pages. (Children’s Bureau Misc. Series 9).. 5c 

“Instructions for the Use of Child Hygiene Survey 
Cards.” (Public Health, Miscellaneous Publication 23) 5c 

“Malnutrition: Helpful Advice to Parents.” 1920, 

12 pages (Keep Well Series 11). 5c 

“Malnutrition in Children.” (Public Health Reprint 
654) 5c 

“Maternity Care and the Welfare of Young Children 
in a Homesteading County in Montana.” 1919, 98 
pages, illus. (Rural Child Welfare Series 3). 20c 


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